NATUKAL CLASSIFJCATIOX. l.'j/ 



the most part merely from chasms in the cellular texture. 

 Hence it appears, that such interruption is not of any great 

 moment. But in so far as the cellular texture is a part of 

 the whole body, and a great regularity is observed in this 

 interrupted or uninterrupted connection, such structure bo- 

 longs to the most important characters. It is as important a 

 character, that nuts and stony fruits do not burst in valves, 

 as that the calyx of the Papaverece is deciduous. 



207. 



The uses of organs and their sensible marks, as their co- 

 lours, smell, and taste, can only be so far important in Taxo- 

 nomy, as we can thence draAV conclusions respecting the in- 

 ternal structure of parts. 



IV. On the DetenninatioiL of' Value of Chara.ciers. 



208. 

 The determination of the value of characters, is in general 

 very simple. In this matter," we may take it as a rule, that the 

 value of a character stands in a compound pro}X)rtion to the 

 importance of the organ, and to the jx)int of view in which 

 we consider it. If the question relates to a single organ, the 

 characters stand in simple proportion to its variations. If the 

 question relates to a single variation, the characters are in the 

 same proportion as the importance of the organs. If we em- 

 ploy both these elements^ their union may afford similar or dis- 

 similar results. Characters are similar in three cases. 1. When 

 the same variation takes place with respect to two organs of 

 the same rank in one or two functions. 2. When two variations 

 of the same rank take place with respect to one or two or- 

 gans also of the same rank. 3. When the degree of inqx)r- 

 tance of an organ is correctly balanced by the value of the 

 variation. If, for instance, I compare the embryon, consider- 

 ed under its least important point of view, namely, its sensible 

 marks, with the nectary, under its most important point of 

 view, \\hich is its existence, then I obtain two anak^gous re- 



