The Living World - Key

Description:

A Key is an artificial analytic device. A couplet or two contrasting character are used for identification. One present in the organism is chosen while the other is rejected. Each statement of the key is called lead.

There are two types if keys

• Indented − Contains sequence of choices between two or more characteristics. By careful selection of character at each subdivision the exact name of the organism can be arrived.
• Bracketed − Uses contrasting characters like indented one but they are not separated by intervening subdividing characters.