Class of 2025 Week 6 – Topic: Botany Speaker: Dr. George Diggs

Cali Bakker, Class of 2023

Week 6
Topic: Botany
Speaker: Dr. George Diggs

If plants are your special interest – you would have loved our Week 6 training class on botany. Dr. George Diggs taught us about coevolution and using a dichotomous key. We’ll also never look at flowers the same way. 

Coevolution is a fascinating topic. Next time you’re outside, look at a flower and imagine what type of critter could disperse its pollen or seeds. Is it long and tubular? It might need a hummingbird. Does the plant have a place to land? Maybe a bee would like it. 

We also touched on “living shadows of the past,” or plants that evolved for certain reasons, and the reasons no longer exist. The Bois d’arc tree and the Honey Locust tree are two top examples of this in our area. 

We appreciate Dr. Diggs spending the time with us, sharing his expertise and experience (and humor!)

A brief note: Unfortunately, I was sick and missed our week 5 topic of ornithology. Our chapter’s own Sam Crowe taught it. He has so much bird knowledge! It would be great to be a sponge and listen to his expertise.