Does using a key make classification easier than using an illustrated book of trees?
You can find this out for yourself by comparing using a key and using a picture book. You can use a key of trees on our website:- http://www-saps.plantsci.cam.ac.uk/trees/ Find a branch of a tree (preferably one which you can see from your window, so you can see what the tree looks like to compare with the picture in the book) and then try to find out its name by using the key and then by using a book. As you are using it, you can see for yourself how it is easier than turning over the pages in a book and looking for a picture that fits your tree. In other ways you will also find the book easier to use. From our point of view, we can keep the website key up to date much easier than a book and we can add to it as necessary, but a book is fixed as soon as it reaches the printers. I think when you have finished, you will have found out much more about the way the tree grows, what are the shape of its leaves, whether the leaves are hairy or not etc. Both the key and the book will guide you
