FLORA MEDICINALE REGIONALE

Knowledge and Ability to Understand: The course provides the tools for the recognition of the main families of plants of herbal and health interest in the regional medicinal flora 

Ability to Apply Knowledge and Understanding: the student acquires the skills necessary to understand the use and utilization of medicinal plants of the regional medicinal flora in the health sector 

Ability to Learn: the student becomes capable of recognizing and identifying the morphological traits peculiar to plants of the regional medicinal flora 

Autonomy of judgment: the student develops critical thinking skills in being able to observe and recognize medicinal plants both in situ and ex situ

Problem-solving skills: the student is challenged to recognize the botanical and health characteristics of medicinal plants as well as techniques for collecting and preserving plant specimens.

The course will be structured in frontal teaching with PowerPoint projection and/or short films. During the course, there will be exercises and problem-based learning.
Should teaching be carried out in mixed mode or remotely, it may be necessary to introduce changes with respect to previous statements, in line with the program planned and outlined in the syllabus.

According to the RDA, Article 12 - University Educational Credits (CFU), the standard 25-hour workload of a student, corresponding to one credit, may include: a) 7 hours dedicated to lectures or equivalent teaching activities and the remainder to individual study;

b) at least 12 and no more than 15 hours dedicated to classroom exercises or equivalent supervised activities (workshops), and the remainder to personal study and revision;

.

No minimum prerequisites

Compulsory, as required by the teaching regulations

http://www.dsf.unict.it/corsi/l-29_sfa/regolamento-didattico

- Methods for collecting, preserving and cataloging plants (herbarium).
- Morphological characters mainly used in plant classification.
- Use of analytical keys for identification of families.
- Description of taxa of medicinal interest mainly distributed in the region.
- Gymnospermae: Cupressaceae, Pinaceae

 Angiospermae:

LILIOPSIDA (MONOCOTILEDONES)

Alliaceae, Amaryllidaceae, Asparagaceae, Asphodelaceae, Colchicaceae, Smilacaceae,

 MAGNOLIOPSIDA (DICOTILEDONES)

Apiaceae, Asteraceae Betulaceae, Brassicaceae, Boraginaceae, Cactaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Clusiaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Equisetaceae, Lamiaceae, Lauraceae, Linaceae, Malvaceae, Myrtaceae,

Oleaceae, Papaveraceae, Plantaginaceae, Portucalaceae, Rosaceae, Rutaceae, Salicaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Urticaceae, Valerianaceae.

Written and oral. Verification of learning may also be carried out electronically, should conditions require it.

EVALUATIVE CRITERIA.
The final exam will be evaluated based on the following indicators weighted equally and consistent with what is described in the expected learning outcomes (Dublin Descriptors):
- personal processing skills and operational initiative;
- ability to consult and use bibliographic materials;
- expository skills;
- scientific understanding of the topic.
Therefore, the final grade takes into account various factors listed below.
Quality of knowledge, skills, competencies possessed and/or manifested:
(a) appropriateness, correctness, and congruence of knowledge
(b) appropriateness, correctnes,s and congruence of skills
(c) appropriateness, correctnes,s and congruence of skills
Expository mode:
(a) Expressive ability;
(b) Appropriate use of discipline-specific language;
(c) Logical skills and consequentiality in linking content;
(d) Ability to connect different topics by finding common points and establishing a coherent overall pattern, i.e., taking care of structure, organization, and logical connections of expository discourse;
(e) Ability to synthesiz,e including through the use of the subject's own symbolism and the graphic expression of notions and concepts, in the form of, for example, formulas, diagrams, equations.
Relational qualities:
Willingness to exchange and interact with the lecturer during the interview.
Personal qualities:
(a) critical spirit;
(b) ability to self-evaluate;
(c) problem-solving skills;
(d) ability to make decisions.
 
Based on the above, the rating can be:
(a) Sufficient (18 to 20/30)
The candidate demonstrates little acquired knowledge, a superficial level, and many gaps. Modest expressive skills, but still sufficient to sustain a coherent dialogue; logical skills and consequentiality in connecting topics of elementary level; poor synthesis skills and rather stunted graphic expression skills; poor interaction with the lecturer during the interview.
(b) Fair (21 to 23)
The candidate demonstrates a fair acquisition of notions, albeit with limited in-depth study and a few gaps. They possess more than sufficient expressive skills to sustain a coherent dialogue and an acceptable command of scientific language. Additionally, they exhibit logical skills and consequentiality in connecting topics of moderate complexity, as well as a more than sufficient ability to synthesize information. Their graphic expression skills are also acceptable.
Example Questions: 1. Describe the morphology and classification of the plant body 2. Describe the morphology of meristematic tissues 4. Characteristics and Function of Primary and Secondary Metabolites: Biotechnology of Medicinal Plants. 6. Medicinal plants for the production of hormones, vaccines, and natural and bioactive products.
(c) Good (24 to 26)
The candidate demonstrates a fairly broad background, moderate depth of knowledge, with small gaps; satisfactory expressive skills and significant mastery of scientific language; well-detectable dialogical skills and critical spirit; good synthesis skills and more than acceptable graphical expression skills.
(d) Excellent (27 to 29)
The candidate demonstrates a pervasive, well-developed body of knowledge, with marginal gaps; remarkable expressive skills and high mastery of scientific language; remarkable dialogical ability, good competence and relevant aptitude for logical synthesis; high synthesis and graphic expression skills.
(e) Excellent (30)
The candidate demonstrates a very extensive and in-depth knowledge base, any gaps irrelevant; high expressive ability and high mastery of scientific language; remarkable dialogical ability, marked aptitude for making connections between different topics; excellent synthesis ability and great familiarity with graphic expression.
Honors are awarded to candidates who are clearly above average and whose possible limitations in notional, expressive, conceptual, and logical skills are, on the whole, completely irrelevant.

CALLS DATES

Exam dates are published on the website of the Department of Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences

https://www.dsf.unict.it/it/corsi/l-29_sfa/calendario-esami

The verification of learning can also be carried out electronically, should the conditions require it.

Information for students with disabilities and/or SLD:

To guarantee equal opportunities and in compliance with the laws in force, interested students can ask for a personal interview in order to plan any compensatory and/or dispensatory measures, based on the teaching objectives and specific needs. It is also possible to contact the CInAP contact person (Center for Active and Participatory Integration - Services for Disabilities and/or SLD) of the Department, Prof. ssa Santina Chiechio.

1. Criteria and techniques for preparing a herbarium
2. Classification of leaves 
3. Description and uses of the Malvaceae
4. Description and uses of the Apiaceae