International Course on Economic Botany

[J.B. Mols]

Dear colleagues I would like to ask your attention for the following:


International Course on Economic Botany

4  18 October 2001
Nationaal Herbarium Nederland  Universiteit Leiden vestiging

Why a course on Economic Botany?

Our daily lives are full of close encounters with the Plant Kingdom: food,
textiles, medicines and perfumes are fundamental to modern society. We
cannot live without plants.  Economic botany underpins the very existence
of mankind, In the course 'Economic Botany' one can learn about the
fascinating world of what is in fact the human side of plant-animal
interactions.

Target group

This is a course for all people interested in human-plant interactions  not
merely biologist but also anthropologists, environmentalists, historians
and all those interested in the biological basis for human society.
The course is intended for both undergraduate and graduate students
interested in broadening their studies in using plant material (both living
and preserved) and published literature to gain a deeper understanding of
economic plants. Technical botanical terms are kept to a minimum and a
specially designed glossary will be designed at the beginning of the
course.  Lectures will be given in English.

Program

There will be 12 lecture-demonstrations in which material will be used from
the world-famous economic plant collection of the Nationaal Herbarium
Nederland, from the Hortus Botanicus and commercially available products.
The lectures are on different aspects, beginning with a general
introduction to 'Economic Botany' in the context of biological interactions
in general. Then the taxonomy of certain cultivated groups of crops is
reconsidered - (carbohydrates, proteins and fats) - fruits crops, both
temporal and tropical. Then come drinks, sweets, tobacco, fibres, wood and
latex, drugs, spices and herbs, ornamentals and perfumes. In addition the
participants prepare a short paper on an economic plant of their choice and
give a presentation on this subject at the end of the course in a mini
symposium.

Duration, period and location of the course

The course lasts two weeks. Because of the paper undergraduate students
will be credited with 3 study points. The course will be given from the 4th
to the 18th of October 2001. Lectures will be given at the Van Steenis
building, Einsteinweg 2 in Leiden. The location is within 15 minutes
walking distance from Leiden Central station.

Costs

There will be no costs for students and people associated with Leiden
University and / or the Research School Biodiversity. For people outside
these organisations the costs will be fl. 500,-.

More Information and subscription

For more information or to subscribe please contact:

Prof. Dr. P. Baas (tel. + 31 (0) 71 5273522
Baas at nhn.leidenuniv.nl

Prof. Dr. D.J. Mabberley
dmabberley at ga.org.au

Johan Mols (tel. +31 (0) 71 5273586)
Mols at nhn.leidenuniv.nl

Nationaal Herbarium Nederland
Universiteit Leiden vestiging
Van Steenisgebouw
Einsteinweg 2
Postbus 9514
2300 RA Leiden
The Netherlands
http://nhncml.leidenuniv.nl/rhb/






J.B. Mols
National Herbarium of the Netherlands
Leiden University
Van Steenisgebouw
Einsteinweg 2
P.O. Box 9514
2300 RA Leiden
The Netherlands

Telephone +31 (0) 71 5273586
Fax + 31 (0) 71 5273511
E-mail  mols at nhn.leidenuniv.nl