This online course teaches the basics of plant taxonomy and field botany with tutoring by local expert BSBI botanists. It is open to everyone interested in becoming a proficient botanist, as an amateur or professional. You do not need to be a member of BSBI or DWT. The course is designed for adult learners who wish to improve their identification of plants beyond matching pictures or using apps by developing confidence and competence in using floras, botanical keys, recognising plant families and verifying species identification.

The course runs from February to September 2023. Fifteen online units of study are provided on a regular basis, and assignments are set to develop and reinforce your learning, with helpful feedback being provided by experienced tutors who have local knowledge. The first three units cover theory (Classification, Terminology, Botanical Keys). The remaining units cover one plant family each in order of their peak flowering times and encourage you to find plants in the field to identify them.