different kinds of trees keep or lose their leaves at different rates & the rate at which trees keep or lose their leaves is a characteristic of trees ->  the rate at which trees keep or lose their leaves is a characteristic of trees that is different for different kinds of trees  the rate at which trees keep or lose their leaves is a characteristic of trees that is different for different kinds of trees & a characteristic of something that is different for different kinds of that something is a distinct characteristic of that something ->  that rate at which a kind of tree keeps or loses its leaves is a distinct characteristic of that kind of tree  that rate at which a kind of tree keeps or loses its leaves is a distinct characteristic of that kind of tree & the rate at which a tree loses its leaves is used to catergorize trees ->  distinct characteristics of trees are used to catergorize trees  the kind of fruit produced by trees is a chracteristic of trees & different kinds of trees produce different types of fruit ->  the kind of fruit produced by trees is a characteristic of trees that is different for different kinds of trees  the kind of fruit produced by trees is a characteristic of trees that is different for different kinds of trees & a characteristic of something that is different for different kinds of that something is a distinct characteristic of that something ->  the type of fruit a kind of tree produces is a distinct characteristic of that kind of tree  distinct characteristics of trees are used to catergorize trees & the type of fruit a kind of tree produces is a distinct characteristic of that kind of tree -> the type of fruit a tree produces can be used to catergorize trees