Key: Riparian Habitat
HOW
TO USE THIS KEY:
The Identification key below is a dichotomous key (two alternative
choices are always given from which you choose the appropriate plant
characteristic) Be sure to read both choices before making a
decision.
To use this key, you should have in hand a representative portion of the
plant you wish to identify, including both leaves and flowers (not just
the flowers or leaves alone). When you gather samples, you should
also make a note as to the plants relative size (is the plant a tall
tree, medium sized bushy shrub, or a low matted shrub) Always
start with choice number 1 and move down the key until you have identified
your sample. (A glossary is available if you need help with the terminology in this
key)
Important
Note: Many of the photos below (California Academy of Sciences)
have been taken from the website ( http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/photos/
) For further photos you can visit this site. For use of any of
these photos please notify cburroughs@CalAcademy.org.
For commercial use, contact cburroughs@CalAcademy.org.
|
Key to Riparian Habitat or
Ecosystem
|
1. |
plants in
water |
go
to 2 |
|
1A. |
plants not in
the water |
go
to 8 |
|
2. |
plant leaves
linear and long |
go
to 3 |
|
2A. |
plant leaves
not linear, but toothed, lobed, or not present |
go
to 6 |
|
3. |
leaves over 3
ft. long with brown dense spongy rod-like flower |
CATTAILS |
|
3A. |
leaves less
than 3 ft. long |
go
to 4 |
|
4.
|
stems round |
go
to 5 |
|
4A.
|
stems
triangular
Photo by Brother Alfred Brousseau, St.
Mary's College
|
Sedge, BULRUSH |
|
5. |
leaves thin,
pointed, slightly angled, with salt drops on, flower brown cluster
Photo by Gerald and Buff Corsi,
California Academy of Sciences
|
SALTGRASS |
|
5A. |
leaves mostly
basal, thin, pointed, flower fluffy green
Photo by Gladys Lucille Smith,
California Academy of Sciences
|
FOXTAIL GRASS |
|
5B.
|
leaves thick,
jointed stem, yellow button-like flower
Photos by Albert P. Bekker, California
Academy of Sciences and Brother Alfred Brousseau, St. Mary's College
|
BRASSBUTTONS |
|
6.
|
stems jointed,
fat, no leaves, reddish green
Photo by Brother Alfred Brousseau, St.
Mary's College.
|
PICKELWEED |
|
6A. |
stems not
jointed, but have thick veins |
go
to 7 |
|
7. |
stems green,
veins green, smells like celery |
WILD CELERY |
|
7A. |
stems red,
veins red, leaves thick with red edges
Photo by Charles Webber, California
Academy of Sciences
|
WILD RHUBARB |
|
8. |
plant a tree |
go
to 9 |
|
8A. |
plant not a
tree |
go
to 10 |
|
9. |
leaves
leather-like with yellow tubular flower |
TREE TOBACCO |
|
9A.
|
leaves linear
with small teeth, white cluster flower
Photo by Brother Alfred Brousseau, St.
Mary's College
|
MULEFAT |
|
9B. |
leaves linear,
entire, gray on bottom green on top, flower catkin
Photos by Brother Alfred Brousseau, St.
Mary's College and Webber, California Academy of Sciences.
|
ARROYO WILLOW |
|
10. |
leaves
pointed, thin, monocots |
go
to 11 |
|
10A. |
leaves
compound, grouped in leaflets of 3 |
go
to 13 |
|
11. |
looks like a
grass |
go
to 12 |
|
11A. |
does not
appear grass-like |
go
to 14 |
|
12. |
tall 1-3 ft.
high, flower looks like a birds beak
Photo by Brother Alfred Brousseau, St.
Mary's College
|
WILD OATS |
|
12A. |
short, angled
leaf, jointed stem, flower brown cluster, salty |
SALT GRASS |
|
12B. |
tall 1-3 ft.
high, leaf red-green, alternate, angled, red spike
Photo by credit Virginia Moore,
California Academy of Sciences
|
RED FESCUE
GRASS |
|
13. |
leaves
clover-like, pea-like flower, yellow or white |
SWEET CLOVER |
|
13A. |
leaves
triangular, white flower with yellow center reflexed petals with purple
berries when ripe-POISONOUS
Photo by Charles Webber, California
Academy of Sciences.
|
DEADLY
NIGHTSHADE |
|
14. |
plant low
growing, sprawling, grey-green leaves, tiny red fruit |
AUSTRALIAN
SALTBUSH |
|
14A. |
plant not low
growing |
go
to 15 |
|
15. |
plant
sprawling shrub, grey-green triangular leaves |
SALTBUSH |
|
15A. |
plant tall
upright |
go
to 16 |
|
16. |
tall plant
with basal leaves deeply lobed, yellow flowers in terminal raceme cluster,
fruit in thin pods |
WILD MUSTARD |
|
16A.
|
tall plant,
leaves not basal, not lobed |
go
to 17 |
|
17. |
leaves woolly,
purple-pink flower in umbel |
MARSH FLEABANE |
|
17A. |
leaves
non-woolly |
go
to 18 |
|
18. |
large leaf,
spiny fruit
Photo by Donald Myrick, California
Academy of Sciences
|
SPINY CLOTBUR |
|
18A. |
thin, linear
leaves, fruit not spiny |
go
to 19 |
|
19. |
leaves tiny
teeth, bright yellow flowers in clusters, sticky
Photo by Dr. Robert Thomas and Margaret
Orr, California Academy of Sciences.
|
GUMWEED |
|
19A. |
leaves
sessile, axial, tiny pink-white flower, round fluffy fruit
Photo by Brother Alfred Brousseau, St.
Mary's College.
|
HORSEWEED |
|
Project
Wild Home | Coastal
Plants | Riparian
Plants | Gymnosperms |
Animals | Simple
Plant Key | Glossary
|