502 



STARCHES OF LILIACEiE. 



of eccentricity is one-fourth to one-sixth, in most grains one-fourtii, of the longitudinal axis. It 

 is often fissured, and the fissure may be a single straight, short, transverse line; or there may be a 

 very large number of irr(>gular lines proceeding from a common center. 



The lamellw are indistinct, fine, cither regular or irregular rings or ellipses or segments of circles. 

 There are usually two or three or more lamellie at the outer margin, which are coarse and distinct 

 and probably formed at a different period from the rest of the grains. The number was not 

 determined. 



The grains vary in size; the smaller are 6 by 6/i; the larger are 64 by 54ju. The common sizes 

 of the large broad and narrow grains are, respectively, 36 by 34^ and 32 by 22i.i in length and 

 breadth. 



Polariscopic Properties. The figure is eccentric, distinct, and usually not clear-cut; its lines 

 are often broad and not clearly outlined for some part of their length; also often bisected or further 

 subdivided, and may be bent and variously distorted, 

 varying in width. 



The degree of polarization is fair to fairly high, vary- 

 ing also in different aspects of a grain, being highest when 

 the grain is viewed on end or edge; sometimes also in the 

 same aspect of a grain, being higher near the hilum than 

 near the margin or distal end, or the reverse. It is not 

 usually quite so high as that of the grains of F. meleagris. 



With sclenite the quadrants are not well defined, are 

 generally irregular in shape, and unequal in size. The 

 colors are not usually pure. 



Iodine Reactions. With 0.2.5 per cent Lugol's solu- 

 tion the grains all color a deep blue-violet; with 0.125 

 per cent solution they color fairlj' and the color deepens 

 rather rapidly. It is more than that of the grains of F. 

 meleagris. After heating in water until all the grains are 

 completely gelatinized, the solution and the gelatinized 

 grains color somewhat deeply on the addition of iodine. 

 After boiling for 2 minutes the solution colors very 

 deeply, Isut most of the grain-residues not at all. Many 

 of the grains are entirely disintegrated. The capsules all color a violet \vith an excess of iodine. 



Staining Reactions. With gentian violet the grains are slightly stained at once, somewhat 

 deeper than in F. meleagris. In 30 minutes they are fairly stained and the color is of the same depth 

 as that of the grains of F. meleagris. 



With safranin the grains are slightly stained at once, somewhat deeper than in /''. meleagris. 

 In 30 minutes they are stained light to fair, the same as that of the grains of F. meleagris. 



Temperature Reaction. The temperature of gelatinization is 49.1 to 50 C, mean 49.6. 



Effects of Various Reagents. With chloral hydrate-iodine the grains begin to react at once. 

 A few are completely gelatinized in 30 seconds, half in 3 minutes, and all in 5 minutes. The reaction 

 is qualitatively the same as that in F. meleagris. 



The grains begin to react with chromic acid at once. Many are dissolved in 10 seconds and all 

 in 15 seconds. The process is qualitatively the same as F. meleagris. 



Reaction with pyrogallic acid begins inamediately and gelatinization in all is complete in 20 

 seconds. The reaction is qualitatively the same as in F. meleagris. 



With ferric chloride the grains begin to react in 30 seconds. Very few are gelatinized at once, 

 about one-fifth in 5 minutes, and all in 20 minutes. The striated border noted in F. meleagris is 

 very narrow or absent. A dark bubble or cleft appears in some grains at the hilum, as was occa- 

 sionally found in F. meleagris. The gelatinized grains vary considerably in shape; some are extended 

 more in the longitudinal and others more in the transverse axis. The reaction is qualitatively the 

 same as that of F. meleagris, except that gelatinization and distension of the capsule usually begin 

 simultaneously at several points on the surface of the grain. 



Reaction with Purdy's solution begins immediately. It is complete in most grains in 10 seconds 

 and in all in 15 seconds. The gelatinized grains vary in form, some being much distorted and hav- 

 ing a convoluted mass at the distal end, while others are more regular in outline and have very 



