Various schemes have been developed over centuries of time — and innumerable discussions by people interested in classifying and naming plants. In this video I share:
- Why we use a “key” to help identify a plant
- The types of keys typically developed
- Examples of each key as used in specific field guides
What type of key is used in your favorite field guide? Share your response, with a comment below.
If you are interested in learning even more about how to use keys in field guides, you can purchase a set of six videos which clearly demonstrate the process of keying a plant. I carefully take you through each of these keys by using eight different plants for identification practice . . . while using nine different field guides. This is a fun “hands-on” demonstration of how to use each of the keys. Read more . . .
