52 THE BOOK OF ROSES. 



CLASSIFICATION BY SPECIFIC 

 CHARACTERS. 



THE specific characters of a plant must be 

 decided and invariable in every individual of a 

 species. If failing in a single particular, the 

 individual must be rejected. 



In order to constitute a species, certain generic 

 peculiarities are indispensable. These specific 

 characters of the rose may be enumerated as 

 follow : 



THE FRUIT. Some botanists establish spe- 

 cies, and even families of roses, upon the form 

 of the fruit, as either round or oval. It happens 

 that no organ is more variable and uncertain, 

 both in form or colour; it is not uncommon to 

 find fruit of every variety of shape united on one 

 tree. On a Rosa semper flor ens, or ever-blowing 

 rose, they are round, oval, top-shaped ; on a 

 Rosa rapa, or turnip rose, they are found flat, 

 round, oval, pear-shaped, and top-shaped. On 

 the tree of a Carolina rose, they are sometimes 

 red, sometimes orange, sometimes purple ; and 

 many varieties, of which the fruit is habitually 

 prickly, are occasionally found with fruit com- 

 pletely smooth. Some varieties, such as the 



