Use Plant Identification Keys
By Vanessa Richins
I often get requests to identify some plant that the person found in their yard.
Sometimes they are kind enough to send me pictures, but many times I just get a definition.
It isn’t always easy – Botanic Gardens Conservation International notes that there are an estimated 400,000 different species of plants in the world.
One way to identify your plants is to use an identification key. Another name you may see is a dichotomous key. The name dichotomous means “two parts” With these keys, you will be asked a question that will have two choices (it’s like one of those Choose Your Own Adventure books!). Your choice will lead you to another question, and continue on until you reach your individual plant.
You’ll want to have a plant glossary open also. Sometimes the questions may refer to plant characteristics with unfamiliar words. For example, do you know what it means if a leaf is glabrous (smooth),pubescent (hairy), or sessile (attached directly to the stem)? Can you identify where the petals, sepals and stamens are in a flower? A glossary will help you decipher these terms so you can properly answer the questions.
Some good keys available online:
- Tools For Plant Identification (includes a glossary)
- Weeds
- Tree, Shrub & Vine Key
- Plant Family Key
- Houseplants
These keys should get you started in identifying your plants. If you get stuck, feel free to drop us a line so we can try to help you out.
Have you used an identification key for plants in your yard?
June 12th, 2009 at 1:13 am
That is good information to know about. Thank you for telling the rest of us.
Dan and Deanna “Marketing Unscrambled