Plant Identification

" Unlike a traditional plant identification key that provides you with only two choices at each step (a dichotomous key), these keys let you select multiple characters simultaneously (polyclave key). This makes more character data available in the key and minimizes the number of steps it takes to identify a plant. These data sets were developed cooperatively by the collaborators cited in the keys and the USDA NRCS National Plant Data Team. The automated plant keys run in SLIKS freeware written in JavaScript and let you identify specific groups of plants known to occur in the U.S. This freeware has limited functionality and is best view using Internet Explorer. The species list in the wetland monocot key is derived from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetland Inventory National List of Vascular Plant Species That Occur in Wetlands: 1998 National List. Other keys are based on the species lists in PLANTS. These draft plant character data sets are for testing purposes only. Data development for the grass and legume keys were partially funded by the USDA NRCS Agricultural Wildlife Conservation Center and the USDA NRCS Louisiana State Office contributed to grass key development. For more information, click on Instructions, Information, Disclaimers and Policies after the application is loaded."