How did Rowley's comparative method aid succulent study?
I approached the study of succulents by constantly comparing individual plants, populations, and even related genera. This meant looking at everything: leaf shapes, flower structures, spine arrangements, seed morphology, and how they grew under different conditions. By situating each plant within a broader context of variation, I could identify patterns, understand evolutionary relationships, and distinguish between true species, subspecies, and natural hybrids. This visual and systematic comparison was fundamental to my taxonomic work.
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