Dichotomous

Keying
Introduction:
The identification of biological organisms can be greatly simplified using
tools such as dichotomous keys. A dichotomous key is an organized set
of couplets of mutually exclusive characteristics of biological organisms.
You simply compare the characteristics of an unknown organism against
an appropriate dichotomous key. These keys will begin with general
characteristics and lead to couplets indicating progressively specific
characteristics. If the organism falls into one category, you go to the next
indicated couplet. By following the key and making the correct choices,
you should be able to identify your specimen to the indicated taxonomic
level.

Couplets can be organized in several forms. The couplets can be

presented using numbers (numeric) or using letters (alphabetical). The
couplets can be presented together or grouped by relationships. There
is no apparent uniformity in presentation for dichotomous keys.
Sample keys to some common beans used in the
kitchen:
Numeric key with couplets presented together. The major advantage
of this method of presentation is that both characteristics in a couple
can be evaluated and compared very easily.

1a. Bean round Garbanzo bean

1b. Bean elliptical or oblong Go to 2

2a. Bean white White northern

2b. Bean has dark pigments Go to 3

3a. Bean evenly pigmented Go to 4

3b. Bean pigmentation mottled Pinto bean

4a. Bean black Black bean

4b. Bean reddish-brown Kidney bean

Alphabetical key with couplets grouped by relationship. This key

uses the same couplet choices as the key above. The choices within the
first and succeeding couplets are separated to preserve the
relationships between the characteristics.
 A. Bean elliptical or oblong Go to B

B. Bean has dark pigments Go to C

C. Bean color is solid Go to D

C. Bean color is mottled Pinto bean

D. Bean is black Black bean

D. Bean is reddish-brown Kidney bean

B. Bean is white White northern

A. Bean is round Garbanzo bean

Exercise 3:
Use the dichotomous key to conifers provided below to identify conifers.

A Key to Selected North American Native and Introduced Conifers

01a Leaves needle-like Go to 02

01b Leaves flattened and scale-like Go to 27

02a Leaves are in clusters Go to 03

02b Leaves are borne singly Go to 15

03a Two to five leaves in a cluster Go to 04 Genus Pinus

03b More than five leaves in a cluster Go to 14

04a Leaves mostly 5 in a cluster White Pine (Pinus strobus)

04b Leaves 2 or 3 in a cluster Go to 05

05a Leaves mostly 3 in a cluster Go to 06

05b Leaves mostly 2 in a cluster Go to 08

06a Leaves twisted, less than 5 inches long Pitch Pine (Pinus rigida)
06b Leaves straight, more than 5 inches long Go to 07

07a Leaves 5-10 inches long, cones very thorny Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda)
07b Leaves mostly over 10 inches long, cones Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris)
unthorned

08a Leaves mostly longer than 3 inches Go to 09

08b Leaves mostly shorter than 3 inches Go to 11
09a Leaves rigid, bark grayish Black pine (Pinus nigra)
09b Leaves narrower than 1.6mm; bark reddish Go to 10
brown or brown

10a Cones thornless, twigs brown Norway pine (Pinus resinosa)

10b Cones thorny, twigs whitish Shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata)

11a Leaves mostly wider than 1.5 mm Go to 12

11b Leaves mostly narrower than 1.5 mm Go to 13

12a Leaves mostly longer than 35 mm Mugho pine (Pinus mugo)

12b Leaves mostly shorter than 35 mm Jack pine (Pinus banksiana)

13a Virginia pine (Pinus

Twigs whitened virginiana)
13b Twigs not whitened Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris)

14a Leaves deciduous, clusters of 20-40 Larch (Larix sp.)

14b Leaves persistent, stiff, and four sided True cedar (Cedrus sp.)

15a Needles short and sharp Giant Sequioa

(Sequioadendron giganteum)
15b Needles longer than 12 mm Go to 16

16a Tiny pegs on twigs Go to 17

16b No pegs on twigs Go to 22

17a Pegs square, needles sharp Go to 18 Genus Picea

17b Pegs round, needles flat and blunt Hemlock (Tsuga sp.)

18a Leaves dark green or yellow green Go to 19

18b Leaves blue-green Go to 20

19a Branchlets droop Norway spruce (Picea abies)

19b Branchlets do not droop Red spruce (Picea rubens)

20a Leaves at right angles to stems Blue spruce (Picea pungens)

20b Go to 21
Leaves point forward

21a Leaves about 12 mm long, seed cones 15-32 mm Black spruce (Picea mariana)
in length, crown narrow and pointed
21b Leaves about 19 mm long, seed cones 50 mm in
length, spire-like crown White spruce (Picea glauca)

22a Buds large and pointed Douglas fir (sp.)

22b Buds small and rounded Go to 23

23a Terminal buds round and clustered True fir (Abies sp.)
23b Terminal buds not clustered Go to 24

24a Needles white underneath Go to 25

24b Needles green underneath Go to 26 Genus Taxus

25a Needles pointed

Redwood (Sequoia
sempervirens)
25b Needles blunt Hemlock (Tsuga sp.)

26a Leaves 18 mm long or less with inconspicuous American Yew (Taxus

midrib canadensis)
26b Leaves 25 mm long or more with conspicuous Japanese Yew (Taxus
midrib cuspidata)

27a All leaves short and sharp Giant Sequioa

(Sequioadendron giganteum)
27b Some leaves not sharp Go to 28

28a Cones round Go to 29

28b Cones not round Go to 31

29a Cones soft and leathery Juniper (Juniperus sp.)

29b Cones woody Go to 30

30a Cones under 12 mm in diameter False cypress (Chamaecyparis)

30b Cones over 12 mm in diameter Cypress (Cuppressus)

31a Cones resemble rosebuds White cedar or arbor vitae

(Thuja)
31b Cones resemble duck bills Incense cedar (Calocedrus)

Conifers to Identify:
1. Name: 2. Name:

3. Name: 4. Name:
5. Name: 6. Name:

7. Name: 8. Name:
9. Name: 10. Name:

11. Name: 12. Name:

13. Name: 14. Name:

15. Name: 16. Name:

Rules for Using Dichotomous Keys:
When you follow a dichotomous key, your task becomes simpler if you
adhere to a few simple rules of thumb:

1. Read both choices in a couplet carefully. Although the first

description may seem to fit your sample, the second may
apply even better.
2. Keep notes telling what sequence of identification steps
you took. This will allow you to double-check your work
later and indicate sources of mistakes, if they have been
made.

3. If you are unsure of which choice to make in a couplet,

follow both forks (one at a time). After working through a
couple of more couplets, it may become apparent that one
fork does not fit your sample at all.

4. Work with more than one sample if at all possible. This will
allow you to tell whether the one you are looking at is typical
or atypical. This is especially true when working with plants
– examine more than one leaf, branch, cone, seed, flower,
…etc.

5. When you have keyed out an organism, do not take your

effort as the final result. Double check your identification
scheme, using your notes. Find a type specimen (if
available) and compare your unknown to the type
specimen. If a type specimen is unavailable, find a good
description of the indicated taxonomic group and see if your
unknown reflects this description.

6. When reading a couplet, make sure you understand all of

the terms used. The best keys will have a glossary of
technical terms used in the key. If a glossary is unavailable,
find a good reference work for the field (textbook, biological
dictionary,…etc.) to help you understand the term.

7. When a measurement is indicated, make sure that you take

the measurement using a calibrated scale. Do not “eyeball”
it or take a guess.