Louisiana Plants Exam

[Elizabeth Blackburn]

Could anyone who has recently taken the Louisiana State Plants Exam please answer the following questions:

1.  Is the identification portion of the exam given outside with real plants or inside with photos?

2.  Approximately how many plants are we asked to identify?

3.  I have been given 2 plant lists by grads from LSU (1980’s and 1990’s grads).  Does anyone have a more recent list or know if the test has changed?

4.  Does the test attempt to cover the most common trees, shrubs, and groundcovers for Louisiana or is it more tricky, covering less widely used plants?

The state of Louisiana referred me to a book with over 700 plants, and the 2 lists that I have cover more than 300.  I’m pretty well versed in Louisiana plant material but having absolutely no idea how long the test is does make me nervous.  If anyone has any information, I would really appreciate it.

[baink]

do you learn plants from south east asia country?

[Lee Attinger]

I haven’t taken the exam but I remember a teacher telling me that for plant identification they just walk you around LSU’s campus and point at plants. No idea how many plants though. I have a pretty recent plant list from LSU (2 years old) if you want it.

[Brad]

I took the state exam in June…
1) the ID section is given outside w/ real material, you walk around in a group and are asked to identify common and botanical names. There is also a written exam which is taken inside.
2) 30-35 plants
3) don’t know, I studied the Odenwald book and had prior knowledge from working in Louisiana
4) the plants we were asked to identify were fairly common, but it may depend on when you take the test. It could be different if they offer it in December when leaves are off some of the trees.

[Brooke Giraldo]

Elizabeth:

The best way to prepare is to take a walk around LSU, make sure you can identify most of the plants by common and botanical name. Taking the test in the winter may be tricky so look at the plants now while they have leaves on them and try to remember what the bark looks like if they aren’t evergreen.

Good Luck!

[Paul Laseter]

Elizabeth,
I noticed that you were planning to take the Louisiana plant exam section and that you have some study materials from other L8L members. I will be attempting the exam in December and would love to have a more focused set of plant lists. Do you mind sharing some of the information with me? I thought it also might be beneficial to get to the testing site a day early and conduct my own plant walk to ‘scout’ out possible plants. If the ID portion is only an hour, the instructor couldn’t walk that far. I can only assume the walk is rain or shine.

Have you heard from anyone who has taken the exam in December?
Good luck on the exam.
Thanks!

[Author]

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