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General Plant Identification
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Requires basic terminology
- Must look at plant morphology
- Look for distinguishing characters
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e.g. Red Maple |
Leaf arrangement, shape, margin
- alternate arrangement
- not a sweetgum
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Reference Guide
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Excellent , economical reference
- Plant Identification Teminology
- Published 1994; ISBN 0-9640221
- Terms defined & illustrated
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Unique characters
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e.g. "basswood" (Tilia)
-"surfboard" bract & inflorescence |
Unique characters
- Found in one plant
- Quickly ID's plant from all others
- Designated herein as ***
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Uncommon characters
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e.g. "boxwood" (Buxus)
-Square twig with deccurrent
leaf base
-found in boxwoods & forsythia
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Uncommon characters
- Rarely found
- Quickly ID's 1-4 plants
- Designated herein as **
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Infrequent characters
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e.g. "honeylocust"(Gleditsia)
Compound leaves
-Leaf divided beyond axillary bud
-found also in mahonia, ash & maple |
Infrequent characters
- in few plants
- Divides plants into small groups
- Important character to observe
- Designated herein as *
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Segregating characters
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e.g. "spruce" ( Picea)
Leaf shape
-saber-like leaf in spruces
-linear leaf in firs, needle in pines
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Segregating characters
- Used to contrast 2-3 plants
- Character can be found in several plants
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