LEADING GROUPS OF EXISTING SYSTEMS 169 



SECTION V 

 GENERA 



Linnasus already knew very well that genera exist in nature, though 

 what he calls genera constitute frequently groups to which we give 

 at present other names, as we consider many of them as families; but 

 it stands proved by his writings that he had fully satisfied himself of 

 the real existence of such groups, for he says distinctly in his Philo- 

 sophia Botanica, sect. 169, "Scias characterem non constituere genus, 

 sed genus characterem. Characterem fluere e genere, non genus e 

 charactere. Characterem non esse, ut genus fiat, sed ut genus nosca- 

 tur." - 



It is surprising that notwithstanding such clear statements, which 

 might have kept naturalists awake respecting the natural foundation 

 of genera, such loose ideas have become prevalent upon this subject, 

 that at present the number of investigators who exhibit much con- 

 fidence in the real existence of their own generic distinctions is very 

 limited. And as to what genera really are, the want of precision of 

 ideas appears still greater. Those who have considered the subject 

 at all seem to have come to the conclusion that genera are nothing 

 but groups including a certain number of species agreeing in some 

 more general features than those which distinguish species; thus 

 recognizing no difference between generic and specific characters 

 as such, as a single species may constitute a genus whenever its 

 characters do not agree with the characters of other species, and many 

 species may constitute a genus because their specific characters agree 

 to a certain extent among themselves. Far from admitting such doc- 

 trines, I hope to be able to show that, however much or however 

 little species may differ among themselves as species, yet they may 

 constitute a natural genus, provided their respective generic charac- 

 ters are identical. 



I have stated before that in order to ascertain upon what the differ- 

 ent groups adopted in our systems are founded, I consulted the works 



•^ [". . . characters do not form a genus but the genus constitutes the characters. 

 Characters come from the genus, not the genus from the characters. Characters are not 

 there so that there should be a genus, but in order that the genus should be recog- 

 nized." Philosophia Botanica (Stockholm, 1751).] 



