Dichotomous Key

2 Comments

  1. Erin Strand

    Hi Raven,

    I appreciate that you used obvious features of these plants, such as petal color, to make it easier to distinguish between them without having to search too hard. It is difficult to tell from these pictures but I believe plant 4 is not herbaceous. Also, since plant 1 is the only coniferous plant you can add plant 1 at the end of line A’ instead of adding line C.

    Good job,

    Erin

  2. Good job Raven,
    I like your key. Erin has already mentioned a few edits. I am just adding some additional comments here. Remember the key should represent a two-way choice and the couplets should be parallel. Indenting the couplets to the same level, so A and B should be at the same level. But it is cosmetic, some people prefer not to intend any of the lines, but I like indents as it makes the key more readable. As Erin said you are comparing herbaceous plants vs. those that are conifers and plant 4 is a willow, so also woody. Perhaps it would be more straightforward to call the non-coniferous plants, dicots (those with two cotyledons). Or you could use leaves vs. needle-like leaves (which would take care of the spruce) in the first couplet. Next you are trying to take care of three plants that are dicots. There are those that are herbaceous and the one that is woody (plant 4) and then you have the two plants that differ in their flower color. Nice job!

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