the short, short course on tree identification doug mclaren university of kentucky cooperative...
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The Short, Short The Short, Short Course on Tree Course on Tree IdentificationIdentification
Doug McLarenDoug McLarenUniversity of KentuckyUniversity of Kentucky
Cooperative Extension ServiceCooperative Extension ServiceDepartment of ForestryDepartment of Forestry
University of Kentucky – Cooperative Extension Service
With so many species of trees…
How do we learn how to identify each of them for our
needs?University of Kentucky – Cooperative Extension Service
Let us start with something we are familiar with…
Characteristics
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Something that distinguishes or identifies an individual…
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Season of the year!
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Leaves – on - Method
Broadleaf
ConiferUniversity of Kentucky – Cooperative Extension Service
Conifers Flattened
Needles per bundle
(2 – 3 – 5)
White pine (5)
Virginia pine (2)
Pitch pine (3)
Cedar
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Broadleaf
Alternate branching
Opposite branching
Arrangement of leaves and buds
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Form of the leaf
Simple
Compound
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MarginsEntire (or unlobed) Serrated
LobedUniversity of Kentucky – Cooperative Extension Service
TEST TIME!
(1)
Conifer or broadleaf?
Opposite or alternate?University of Kentucky – Cooperative Extension Service
TEST TIME!
(2)
Simple or Compound?
Alternate or Opposite?
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TEST TIME!
(3)
Margins!
Serrated or Lobed?
Entire or Lobed?
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In the process of identifying trees, there is a logical
sequence to identify the correct tree…
The “instrument” that is used to select the correct tree is a
dichotomous key .
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What is a dichotomous key?
A process in which to identify an organism based
on a series of choices –
two choices at a time!
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Example!
A.Does the tree have LEAVES – if so, GO TO B
A. Does the tree have NEEDLES – if so, GO TO C
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…of a dichotomous key for tree
identification
B. Is the branching pattern OPPOSITE – if so GO TO DB. Is the branching pattern ALTERNATE – if so GO TO E
Dichotomous tree finder
University of Kentucky – Cooperative Extension Service
University of Kentucky – Cooperative Extension Service
University of Kentucky – Cooperative Extension Service
Where does it grow?
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Dichotomous Tree Finder A. Does the tree have NEEDLES…Go To D
A. Does the tree have LEAVES…Go To B
B. Are the leaves SIMPLE…Go To C
B. Are the leaves COMPOUND…Go To C
C. Is the branching OPPOSITE…Go To E
C. Is the branching ALLTERNATE…Go To F
D. Probably a conifer
E. Probably a maple or ash
F. Service berry
University of Kentucky – Cooperative Extension Service
Amelanchier canadensis
An abbreviated example
Websites and Resource Lists:
ukforestry.org (Staff - Doug McLaren)
www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/idit.htm
www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/eek/veg/treekey/
tenn.bio.utk.edu/vascular/vascular.html
Tree Finder by May Theilgarrd Watts
University of Kentucky – Cooperative Extension Service
www.forestryimages.org/
plants.usda.gov/index.html
University of Kentucky – Cooperative Extension Service