Recognizing that an unidentified sample is a resinous or non-resinous softwood, with either an abrupt or a gradual transition is a good start towards identifying an unknown specimen. The problem is that this information is rarely enough! Other characteristics need to be combined with that data. Some of the things to look out for include characteristic odors, the diameter of the tracheids, and the presence of storage cells. Sometimes the context or original location of the material can be helpful.