Computerized plant keys?

[Stephen Tashiro]

Are there computer programs that implement "plant keys" to identify plants?

My father used printed "plant keys" to identify plants shrubs and trees in landscaping. These books identify plants by having you answer a sequence of questions - for example: a) leaves opposite b) leaves alternate. Of course you have know biological terminology to use such a book effectively, but the answer to each question directs you to a section of the book and after answering enough questions you get to a particular plant. (This is like the game of twenty questions.)

The online "guides" to plant identification that I've found only present you with a collection of pictures or names to browse.

I found sites such as https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/simple/ whose first steps begin like a key, but it soon degenerates into lists.

[Edward Weber]

You're looking for a site that uses a dichotomous key.
What type of plants are you looking for and what area? It might help find what you need.

[Jim McCue]

There is an app called "PictureThis" that basically does it for you. I don't have it but my wife does, I think it's relatively expensive for an app. It either IDs the plants or tells you the few closest guesses.

"Dichotomous key" is the phrase to search for. I have not found a good one online lately. Years ago I found some from gov sites like parks and recreation or division of natural resources, and one from the boy scouts. I do not have them anymore. Using them I often hit a fork in the road where I didn't know the best answer and that affects all future questions and results.

[Bill Howatt]

I've had some luck with Google Image search or whatever it called for both plants and insects but it certainly isn't 100%. You upload an image of the subject and search.

[Edward Weber]

I've had some luck with Google Image search or whatever it called for both plants and insects but it certainly isn't 100%. You upload an image of the subject and search.

+1
This works really well, for me at least. It gets you in the ballpark anyway, from there you can start to refine based on the results.
I just used it the other day to distinguish between a sweetgum and a maple leaf, they're strikingly similar.

I seem to find the dichotomous keys mostly on wildlife sites like the Audubon Society

[Steve Demuth]

I don't know of any that work through dichotomous key, the way you describe. If your goal is simply to get an identification, though, then you might take a look at either Seek or PlantNet. Both have identification functions that work from your phone camera. Both are pretty good for forbs that are at least modestly distinctive. Neither will get you to species level for hard to distinguish groups with many species present in a given area, like grasses or, say, Goldenrods. In general though, with anything they'll get you at least to Family and usually to Genus, if you have examples of both flowers and leaves to work from. My wife is a big fan of Seek. I use PlantNet more often.

[Jim Becker]

PictureThis, that Jim mentions is very good...Professor Dr. SWMBO and I use it frequently. It not only ascertains species, etc, but also provides health information on the plant. PictureThis is a smartphone app. The next release of iOS is also reported to have some new capabilities along these lines, at least for folks with iPhone 15 or greater, but I have not seen it yet.

That said, I'm not familiar with anything that does the question answer thing like you mention, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

[Ted Calver]

Virginia Tech Dendrology has some decent keys.

[roger wiegand]

DW, the native plant nerd, uses PictureThis extensively and finds it to be remarkably accurate. I have a couple of free apps, including Lens and PlantSnap, and they don't compare in ability to get the right answer.

I'm not aware of an app that helps you key out a plant species. Ability to use a key requires a whole lot of knowledge and vocabulary that most folks don't have-- something that aided that process would be very useful but, I think, a very small niche product.

[Stephen Tashiro]

You're looking for a site that uses a dichotomous key.

Thank you for that terminology. It helps.

What type of plants are you looking for and what area? It might help find what you need.

I wasn't trying to identify particular plants. I was just glancing at my father's books and wondering if the same info ever got computerized.
With an internet connection, I can probably post a picture of a plant to a forum and someone will identify it for me. However, I"m often at a house with a computer, but no internet connection. It seems to me that that a program implementing the info in printed keys could fit on a DVD.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I tried Google Lens and learned that nettles are thriving in the garden. I have had several fun phone calls from the parents as they sit outside alongside their smart phones while they all listen to the evening songbirds. Over 30 varieties of birds serenade every evening. They have an APP that identifies them all. I do not have a smart phone, I hope I am not missing out on too much of what's going on around me.

[Tom M King]

Merlin bird I’d is a great ap. There are many. Yes, you’re missing out. Typing on my phone right now.

[Tom M King]

Never needed a plant I’d that google couldn’t find.

[Tom M King]

I use weather radar maps a lot. Night sky is a good one.

[Tom M King]

Tape measure. Cam to plan. Eagle eye measures angles. Most are free.