ECOS Guide to the Ecology of the Northern Rockies

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Tutorial on Identifying a Plant with the ECOS Plant Guide

Determine the identity of a hardwood tree with an odd pinnate leaf (has leaflet at tip) that is attached to twigs in opposite pairs.

1. Click on button towards top of screen called "plant search"
2. Click on "leaf type", and click on "odd-pinnate"
3. Click on checkbox to left of "leaf type" so a check mark appears. This means when a search is done it will only list plants with this type of leaf.
4. Click on "search" button towards bottom of screen. Six species are listed on left hand part of screen (they all have odd-pinnate leaves).
5. To narrow down the choices lets add another characteristic in addition to odd-pinnate. Select a leaf arrangement of opposite (be sure to click the checkbox next to leaf arrangement to include this field in the search), and search again.
6. Two species are listed. Clematis and Fraxinus. Click on Clematis. Then click on Fraxinus. Which species best matches this specimen? (Answer: Fraxinus, because it is a tree, Clematis is a woody vine).