Edible Sierra Nevada Plants K E Y S
I have taken extreme care in providing accurate information in these keys, however, there is always the possibility of errors. Use these keys at your own discretion. If you do not know how to use the keys find out now, here.
A Leaves needle-like, usually more than 1 cm long
CONIFER GENERA
B Needles in clusters of 2 or more - PINUS
BB Needles single, never grouped in clusters
C Fruit more or less fleshy,or if cone-like, disintegrating before falling
D Shrub less than1 m high - JUNIPERUS COMMUNIS
DD Trees mainlyover 5 m high
E Fruitcone-like; common forest trees - ABIES (Not Edible)
EEFruit nut-like, at least partly covered by a fleshy pericarp
F Needles 1-2 cm long, not spine tipped; Calaveras County, north- TAXUS
FF Needles 2.5-6 cm long, more or less spine tipped; Tulare to PlumasCounty - TORREYACC Plants producing moreor less woody cones which hang below branches and fall intact
D Cones more orless globose; with thick scales - PINUSMONOPHYLLA
DD Cones oblong;with thin, delicate scales
E Cones with notched bracts between scales - PSEUDOTSUGA
EE Cones without bracts between scales - TSUGAAA Leaves scale-like, usually 1 cm long
B Leaves less than 5 mm long, more or lesstriangular
C Fruit fleshy, berry-like;bark fibrous; widespread - JUNIPERUS
CC Fruit woody, cone-like;bark scaly; rare, Plumas County - CUPRESSUS (NotEdible)BB Leaves mainly 5 - 10 mm long, moreor less oblong to lanceolate
C Leaves in flat sprays; conesoblong and splitting lengthwise - CALOCEDRUS
CC Branchlets not flattened;cones globose opening into many scales - SEQUOIADENDRON(Not Edible)To Dichotomous Key / Main Plant Index / Main Page