What’s a dichotomous key?
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- Group 1Lycophytes, Monilophytes
- Group 2Gymnosperms
- Group 3Monocots
- Group 4Woody angiosperms with opposite or whorled leaves
- Group 5Woody angiosperms with alternate leaves
- Group 6Herbaceous angiosperms with inferior ovaries
- Group 7Herbaceous angiosperms with superior ovaries and zygomorphic flowers
- Group 8Herbaceous angiosperms with superior ovaries, actinomorphic flowers, and 2 or more distinct carpels
- Group 9Herbaceous angiosperms with superior ovaries, actinomorphic flowers, connate petals, and a solitary carpel or 2 or more connate carpels
- Group 10Herbaceous angiosperms with superior ovaries, actinomorphic flowers, distinct petals or the petals lacking, and 2 or more connate carpels
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- Dichotomous Key
- Lycopodiaceae
Lycopodiaceae
See list of 6 genera in this familyReferences: Wagner and Beitel (1993), Haines (2003a).
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1a. Upright shoots unbranched, lacking winter bud constrictions, produced from horizontal shoots that travel over the surface [Fig. 14]; horizontal shoots lacking winter bud constrictions [Fig. 14]; plants primarily of hydric habitats
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2a. Sporophylls green, superficially similar to the trophophylls of the upright shoots, arranged in 10 or more vertical ranks, 2.9–9 mm long; strobilus stalks with abundant and imbricate trophophylls; trophophylls of the horizontal shoots monomorphic; plants deciduous, overwintering by a thickened tip of stem (i.e., turion)
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2b. Sporophylls stramineous at maturity, clearly differentiated from the trophophylls of the upright shoots, arranged in 4–10 vertical ranks, 2.7–3.3 mm long; strobilus stalks with few and remote trophophylls; trophophylls of the horizontal shoots dimorphic, the lateral trophophylls markedly wider than the median trophophylls; plants evergreen
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1b. Upright shoots branched, with winter bud constrictions, produced from subterranean or superficial horizontal shoots; horizontal shoots with winter bud constrictions (except Dendrolycopodium), these marked by a zone of small, congested trophophylls; plants primarily of mesic to xeric habitats
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3a. Branches 1–4.4 mm wide inclusive of the trophophylls, flat to quadrangular, with 4 ranks of trophophylls (terete and with 5 ranks of trophophylls in one species) [Fig. 11]; branching of strobilus stalks, when present, dichotomous
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3b. Branches 5–12 mm wide, terete (somewhat compressed in D. obscurum), with 6 or more ranks of trophophylls; branching of strobilus stalks, when present, pseudomonopodial (i.e., falsely appearing to have a main axis from which branches arise)
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4a. Strobili borne on stalks; trophophylls of the upright shoot branches arranged in alternating pseudowhorls of 6–10, tipped with a colorless hair 1.5–4 mm long
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4b. Strobili sessile; trophophylls of the upright shoot branches arranged in alternating pseudowhorls of 3–5, merely pointed or with a minute, but firm, spine-like tip
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5a. Upright shoots with an obvious main axis from which repeatedly forked branches arise (i.e., the shoots dendroid), bearing trophophylls that are merely pointed at the apex; horizontal shoots subterranean, lacking winter bud constrictions
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5b. Upright shoots with 1–4 subdichotomous branches (i.e., the shoots not dendroid and the main axis usually obscure), bearing trophophylls with a minute, but firm, spinule 0.4–1 mm long at the apex; horizontal shoots at or near the surface, with winter bud constrictions
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Show photos of: Each photo represents one genus in this family.