This document provides instructions for students to learn about and describe a spring plant. It includes sections to record the scientific and common names, describe physical characteristics like the leaf and root structures, note the flower and fruit types, and hypothesize what class it belongs to. The student is also prompted to research additional information about the plant's uses and properties online. The last section provides a dichotomous key to help identify the plant based on distinguishing traits.

1. Learning about spring plants
1
Scientific name: _________________(use the dichotomous key and find out the name of your
plant)
Common names: A) Spanish_____________________________________________
B) English ______________________________________________
(use the books and write some of the common names in Spanish and English for this plant)
Description:
This plant is: -a tree -a shrub -a herb (underline the correct name)
The leaf: (Draw the leaf) The root: (Draw the root)
Function of the leaf is:___________ Function of the root is:________________
The flower is… -isolated -in inflorescence (underline the correct name)
Number of petals: _________ colour: ________
Number of sepals: _________ colour: ________
Number of stamens: _______
Number of styles: _______
If it has fruit, draw it:
Function of the flower is:___________
Function of the fruit is:___________
draw it:

2. Learning about spring plants
2
According to your description of this plant… ( underline the correct answer)
- Is it a weed? Yes No
- Is it a moss? Yes No
- Is it a fern? Yes No
- Do you think it belongs to Class Angiosperm? Yes No
Why? _________________________________________________________
- Do you think it belongs to Class Gimnosperm? Yes No
Why? _________________________________________________________
- Do you think it belongs to Monocotyledones? Yes No
Why? _________________________________________________________
- Do you think it belongs to Dicotyledones? Yes No
Why? _________________________________________________________
Look for information on the Internet about this plant, its uses, properties,
curiosities, etc and write them down here:
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________

3. Learning about spring plants
3
CLAVE DICOTÓMICA - DICHOTOMOUS KEY
A dichotomous key is a tool that allows you to look for the name of any species. Keys consist of a
series of choices that lead the user to the correct name of a given item. "Dichotomous" means
"divided into two parts". Therefore, dichotomous keys always give two choices in each step
→ Plant that looks like a tree, or a shrub. ………………………………………………………………. α
→Non woody plant that looks like an herb………. .…………………………………….……………. β.
α Leaves much more longer than wide, unisexual flowers without petals or
sepals, only with stamens , grouped in cones……………………………….… Pinus halepensis
α Short leaves in round shape……………………………………….……………. Quercus ilex
β Flowers with four petals and four stamens. Long and narrow fruits………Sinapis alba
β Flowers with petals and stamens in different number of four. ……………………………..Ω
Ω Leaf divided in three leaflets ……………………………………………………………………….∑
Ω Leaf undivided or in other shape……….…………………………………………………….¥
∑ Big flowers, at the end of long stems …………………..Oxalis pes-caprae
∑ Little flowers, in groups of four or five. Hairy fruits with spiral shape
……………………………………………………………………..………….Medicago sativa
¥ Simple leave (with an undivided blade),
without petiole………….…….. Anagallis arvensis
¥ Leaves with petiole, with lobate margin…….
……………………………………….. Erodium cicutarium