Illustrated Keys to the Vascular Plants of Alberta
April 2019 / January 2020

The Alberta Illustrated Keys have been updated by Linda Kershaw and Lorna Allen. Species status now agrees with the most recent ACIMS listing (ACIMS, March 2018) and taxonomy agrees with the VasCan database of October 2018 (Brouillet et. al. 2018).

The keys now begin with the introductory Keys to Family, followed by 4 major groups: Pteridophytes (ferns and fern allies), Gymnosperms (coniferous trees and shrubs), Monocots (seed plants with 1 cotyledon), Dicots (seed plants with 2 cotyledons).

Keys to the Pteridophytes and Gymnosperms are each presented in a single file. However, the Monocots and Dicots are much larger groups, so they have each been divided into several files. These include 19 single-family keys which cover the larger families. Miscellaneous small families and a few recently revised family groups (i.e. Lilies & Allies in the Monocots; Figworts & Allies in the Dicots) have been lumped together in common files to simplify the website and/or to facilitate naming and identification. Families with just 1 species in Alberta will appear in the ‘Keys to Family’ section. There is an alphabetical list of families, with the Section and File where each is located, at the end of this page.

Click on each group or family below for the pdf file.

Alphabetical list and location of family files. To download a pdf file of this entire table click here