DESCRIPTIVE BOTANY. 



153 



are entirely useless, because they apply to but one or a few 

 species. But if there be a correspondence in most of the 

 species, a difference of one or two species among a great num- 

 ber may take place, without inducing us to reject, on that ac- 

 count, the generic character. Commonly this difference is 

 taken into the character, especially a difference of numerical 

 proportion. As, for instance, in the genus Amaranthus^ al- 

 most as many triandria as pentandria species appear, it is 

 expressly stated in the character that there are either three or 

 five anthers. 



The generic character of the higher plants is borrowed 

 solely from the organs of fructification. And we begin with 

 the inflorescence ; we then proceed to the covers of the sexual 

 parts ; next to those parts themselves, and to the nectaries ; 

 after these, to the fruit ; and, lastly, to the embryon. All 

 invariable peculiarities of these organs, which are common to 

 all the species, compose the Generic Character. The general 

 aspect of the genus, — the formation of the root, stem, leaves, 

 and other parts, — the composition of the peculiar juices, — the 

 smell and taste, — are all things which are no doubt important, 

 and which may lead us to the formation of a genus, but they 

 cannot be taken into the generic character itself, unless we 

 would make it more circumstantial and natural. If, for instance, 

 we observe a herbaceous plant, which in its organs of fructifica- 

 tion shews almost the entire character of another genus, all the 

 species of which are trees, we are not allowed, at once, on this 

 account to view that herbaceous plant as a peculiar genus, and 

 to assume this difference into the character ; but this circum- 

 stance induces us to institute a closer examination of the es- 

 sential parts, that in them also we may discover marks of dif- 

 ference which correspond with the general aspect. 



According to the gradation in the value of organs, which was 

 noticed in Sect. 171. and 172., we must not overlook even the 

 smallest parts of the fruit, but must minutely examine the si- 

 tuation of the embryon, — the structure of the cotyledons, of 



2 



