About Lucid Phoenix

Lucid Phoenix, a member of the Lucid family of products, is used to create, deploy, maintain and play interactive pathway keys (also often called dichotomous keys). Pathway keys are one of two main types of identification keys. The other type, matrix keys (also often called interactive or random-access keys) are built and played using other Lucid products (see www.lucidcentral.org for more information on the Lucid family of products).

 

A pathway key is a traditional form of identification guide that takes the form of a series of questions or statements, each question or statement leading to either another question or statement, or to a result (an identified taxon or entity). Pathway keys are so named because the questions or statements are arranged in the form of a branching pathway, each branch ultimately leading to an identification. At each branching point a question with two or more answers, or two or more statements, are presented. The answer or statement that best describes the entity (taxon or other thing) being identified is chosen at each step.

 

There are several traditional ways of writing pathway keys, but all have the same basic structure.

 

An example of a simple coupleted statement key. Statements are written in groups (couplets), each with a go-to. Choose which statement of the couplet is correct for the specimen to be identified, then go to the couplet number indicated. 1.   Flowers blue.................................2 1a. Flowers red..................................3 2.   Fruits fleshy...................Species 1 2a. Fruits woody.................Species 2 3.   Trees..............................Species 3 3a. Shrubs..........................................4 4.   Leaves hairy.................Species 4 4a. Leaves not hairy...........Species 5

The same key written as a simple indented statement key Statements in a group (couplets) have the same indent level. Choose which statement of the couplet is correct for the specimen to be identified, then go to the couplet immediately below Flowers blue     Fruits fleshy.......................Species 1     Fruits woody......................Species 2 Flowers red     Trees..................................Species 3     Shrubs       Leaves hairy....................Species 4       Leaves not hairy..............Species 5

The same key written as a branching tree with questions and answers Begin at the top of the key with the first question, choose which answer is correct for the specimen to be identified, then follow the arrow to the next question.

 

Lucid Phoenix comprises three main programs:

The Lucid Phoenix Builder is used to create, edit and manage pathway keys for the Phoenix system.

The Lucid Phoenix Importer is used to capture existing pathway keys, such as published dichotomous keys, into the Phoenix Builder.

The Lucid Phoenix Player is used to play interactive pathway keys deployed through the Phoenix Builder.

 

The Lucid Phoenix Builder and Player can handle keys in either the traditional statement form or the question-answer form. The Lucid Phoenix Importer can import digital copies of keys in either coupleted or indented form (although with some limitations - see The Phoenix Importer section for more information or view an example.