156 PHYTOGKAPHY. 



tion to others, is very long, very large, or very short and 

 small, to express this simply by a superlative. We thus say, 

 pedunculi longissimi^ calyx maxinms^ and so on. 



Situation can only be taken into the specific character 

 of the lowest organised bodies, as the Alg^e and Fungi. In 

 these we sometimes even take the profusion, or the insu- 

 lated growth of plants, as a specific distinction. 



238. 

 The specific character is put in the ablative, and this is 

 done for the sake of brevity. But we must endeavour to 

 avoid putting two ablatives, one after the other, because this 

 may occasion mistakes. Instead of corolla cahjce majore, we 

 say, with more propriety, corolla calijcem cxcedcnte. Instead 

 of petiolis pedunculis breviorihus, it is better to say peduncii- 

 lis petiolos superantihus, 



239. 



The specific character must be compounded only of the 

 usual artificial terms. In general, it must contain neither un- 

 explained words, nor allegories, metaphors, nor any other 

 comparisons but those which are customary. 



240. 



The specific character must be positive, and therefore all 

 ■negative expressions in it are objectionable. These last, pro- 

 ceeding upon comparisons with the nearest related species, 

 may very easily be expressed positively. Instead of non ra~ 

 mosus, Ave say simplex ; instead of non tortilis, strictus, and 

 so forth. 



241. 



The specific character must be as easily comprehended, 

 and as short as possible. For giving an easy view of it, 

 it is important that the organs, whose properties are to be 

 stated, should always be placed first ; that these ]:)roper- 

 ties should not be separated by signs, and that the or- 

 gans only should be separated In* commas. Brevity retjuirt-^ 

 that all particles shall be avoided as much as possible. The 



