SPECIES. 8S 



The few rules given above concerning 1 genera and their charac- 

 ters can hardly be comprehended without some practical observa- 

 tion. 



Whenever the young botanist has an opportunity, he should exa- 

 mine the several species of the same genus, and see how the gen- 

 eric character appears in each. 



He should also compare the characters of different genera. By 

 repeated efforts of this kind, he will finally become acquainted 

 with the various affinities of plants, by which species are united 

 into Genera, and Genera again into Natural Orders, by which all 

 the individuals of the vegetable kingdom sustain a beautiful and 

 varied relation to each ether. 



II. Species. 



1. SPECIES are the individuals of which a genus 

 consists. 



A species more properly consists of a number of individuals, 

 all of which are essentially alike ; called different specimens of 

 the same species ; for example, in one orchard are several Apple- 

 trees, which are so many individuals of the same species, Pyr\is 

 Mains. 



2. Any permanent peculiarity is sufficient to consti- 

 tute a species. 



Observation. If one plant in a genus had round leaves, while 

 all the rest had leaves of some other form, such plant would con- 

 stitute a distinct species. 



THE SPECIFIC CHARACTER consists of those marks 

 which distinguish one species from all others in the 

 genus. 



Specific characters are taken from the number, j%- 

 ure 9 situation, proportion and connexion of the roots, 

 trunks, leaves, and appendages ; also from the inflo- 

 rescence, and such circumstances of the flower and 

 fruit as are not appropriated to the other divisions. 



Observation. 1. The most permanent characters are furnished 

 by those circumstances of a plant which are most essentially con- 

 cerned in its existence or peculiar habits. Thus the strong*curv- 

 ed prickles of the Sweet-briar Rose are necessary to support this 

 " towering* queen" on other plants, and are therefore constant and 

 uniform, while in other species of Rose, in which the prickles have 

 no very essential part to serve, they are variable. 



