This document is a dichotomous key that can be used to identify different plant species found in the Eastern Montana grasslands. It contains a series of questions that lead the user down different paths based on their answers, ultimately pointing them to the identity of a particular plant. The key differentiates between plants based on characteristics of their stems, leaves, flowers, and seeds. A credits section at the end lists the sources for the images and information used in the key.

1. Eastern Montana Grasslands
Dichotomous Key
Jean Hagler
Credits

2. 1. a. Plant stem woody …Go to 2
1. b. Plant stem herbaceous …Go to 6

3. 2.a. Thorns present …Go to 3
2.b. Thorns not present …Go to 5

4. 3.a. Thorns on stem …Go to 4
3.b. Thorns on fleshy leaf …
Plains Pricklypear Cact
Click to see
picture

5. Plains Pricklypear Cactus
Opuntia polyacantha
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6. 4.a. Thorns short, leaf …Wood’s Rose
Click to see
edges serrated. picture
4.b. Thorns longer, …Silver Buffaloberry
Click to see
leaf edges smooth picture

7. Wood’s Rose
Rosa woodsii
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8. Silver Buffaloberry
Shepherdia argentea
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9. 5.a. Leaves thin and
silvery …Silver Sage
Click to see
picture
5.b. Leaves palmate
and green …Golden Currant
Click to see
picture

10. Silver Sagebrush
Artemisia cana
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11. Golden Currant
Ribes aureum
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12. 6.a. Single stem …Go to 7
6.b. Multiple or
branching stem …Go to 8

13. 7.a. Hairs on seed head
long and thin …Foxtail Barley
Click to see
picture
7.b. Hairs on seed
head spiky …Crested Wheatgrass
Click to see
picture

14. Foxtail Barley
Hordeum jubatum
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15. Crested Wheatgrass
Agropyron cristatum
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16. 8.a. Round, fluffy seed
ball, flowers yellow …Salisfy
Click to see
picture
8.b. Feathery,
branching stems,
berries may be present …Wild to see
Click
Asparagus
picture

17. Salisfy (Mountain Goat’s-beard)
Tragopogon dubius
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18. Wild Asparagus
Asparagus officinalis
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19. Credits
 Power Point Sources
 http://www.invasive.org/images/192x128/0016084.jpg - woody stem illustration
 http://www.missouriplants.com/Whiteopp/Galium_aparine_stem.jpg - herbaceous
stem
 http://www.dkimages.com/discover/previews/756/209342.JPG - thorn stem
 http://fieldguide.mt.gov/detail - Scientific names
 http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cb/Flag_of_Montana.svg/615p
- Montana flag
 http://www.helfgottblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/stinging-nettle.jpg -
serrated leaf image
 http://www.inmygarden.org/archives/a-smooth-edge-300x241.jpg - smooth leaf
image
 http://cache.eb.com/eb/image?id=6959&rendTypeId=4 – buffaloberry image
 http://www.hainaultforest.co.uk/Leaf%20Field%20maple1.JPG – palmate leaf image
 All other pictures – Jean Hagler
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