Dichotomous Key Updated*
For this assignment, I read your dichotomous key, Prof. Ickert-Bond’s response, and then used your key to identify the plant examples provided. You determined a lot more attributes and definitions than I did in the process of creating our keys. Good work! Your formatting is neat. I relearned “whorl” through your post. One term that I encountered that might work here, strigose indicates the existence of hairs. Glabrous/ puberulent describe hairless plant parts.
My only criticism would be the either/or aspect of the dichotomous key. The statement you make to categorize your plants should only have 2 options. It helped me to think about coming across a path with 2 options, the eye doctor choosing between lenses, or the choose your own adventure stories from my childhood. Anyways, I combined out Dichotomous Keys to create a much better key. Thanks!
Dichotomous Key
- Plants with Green Coniferous Needles ………………. Plant one
(A’) Plants without Green Coniferous Needles
(B) Plants with strigose hairy leaves
(C) Petals purple ………………………………………. Plant three
(C’) Petals white ………………………………………. Plant two
(B’) Plants without strigose hairy leaves, glabrous/puberulent ………… Plant four
Thanks Olivia,
the key works well. Thanks for your comments. Just a word of caution the leaves in plant 4 do have hairs, as do the ovaries. This is Salix bebbiana (Bebb’s willow) and charcterized by moderately densely pubescent or long-silky to glabrescent leaves. Nice job on the the word document!
Hi Olivia-
Your feedback was very helpful. I saw your first Dichotomous Key and this one and have to admit they both are great! I see how you modified the updated version and it’s incredibly clear. Great work!!