GENUS NARCISSUS. 



679 



PS CI PA CA 

 " PC PS 



Reaction witli jajrogallic acid begins in many grains in IJ^ minutes and in 10 minutes a few 

 are completely and most of the rest partially gelatinized. About four-fifths are completely gelat- 

 inized in 27 minutes. The reaction is qualitatively the same as that of the grains of N. horsfieldii. 



With ferric chloride a few grains react in 4 minutes. About one-third are gelatinized in 20 min- 

 utes, three-fourths in 25 minutes, and practically all in 45 minutes. The reaction is the same quali- 

 tativelj' as that of the grains of A'^. horsfieldii. 



With Purdij's solution all the grains show a slight reaction in 20 minutes, but no further change. 

 In so far as the reaction goes it is qualitatively the same as that of the grains of N. horsfieldii. 



STARCH OF NARCISSUS TAZETTA VAR. ORIENTALIS. (Plate 62, figs. 369 and 370. Chart 240.) 



Histological Characteristics. In form the grains are simple. Rarely they occur in small aggre- 

 gates. Pressure facets were very rarely observed. The surface of the grains is often very irregular, 

 owng to unequal development and to secondary starchy deposits occurring in the form of projections, 

 especiallj^ in the form of nipple-like processes. The conspicuous forms are the ovoid to oval and len- 

 ticular; also spherical, triangular, and quadrangular with rounded angles, pyriform, and various irreg- 

 ular shapes. The triangular, quadrangular, and pyriform grains are generally about one-half to three- 

 fourths as thick as broad, but the ovoid and other rounded forms are commonly about as thick as broad. 



The hilum is, as a rule, very indistinct. It is a small, round or rarely lenticular spot, usually 

 eccentric from one-fifth to two-fifths of the longitudinal axis, and commonly to one side of the median 

 line. It is often fissured, and the fissuration is usually in the form of a very small, transverse line, 

 but sometimes longitudinal, large, ragged, or irregular. 



The lamellce are generally invisible, but sometimes 

 appear as coarse, regular, continuous rings, which tend to 

 follow closelj' the marginal outline. The number was not 

 determined. 



The grains vary in size from 4 to 54/x. The common 

 size is 34/i. 



Polariscopic Properties. The figure is usually eccen- 

 tric, distinct, and sometimes clear-cut, but its lines often 

 broaden and are not clearly defined in some part of their 

 length, also somewhat bent and otherwise distorted. 



The degree of polarization is high. It varies in dif- 

 ferent grains, in different aspects of the same grain, and 

 in different parts of the same aspect of a grain. It is 

 higher than that of the grains of A'', horsfieldii. 



With selenite the quadrants are usually well defined, 

 generally irregular in shape, and unequal in size. The 

 colors are usually not pure. 



Iodine Reactions. With 0.25 per cent Lugol's solu- 

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

 per cent solution they color lightly and the color deepens slowly. It is lighter than that of the 

 grains of A'', horsfieldii. After heating in water until the grains are completely gelatinized, the 

 solution colors fairly and the grains deeply on the addition of iodine. After boiling for 2 minutes 

 the solution colors very deeply and the grain-residues much less. The capsules are colored a red- 

 violet with an excess of iodine and most of them retain some blue-reacting starch. 



Staining Reactions. W\i\\ gentian violet and with safranin the grains begin to stain at once 

 and in 30 minutes are fairly stained. The color is the same as that of the grains of A^. horsfieldii. 



Temperature Reaction. The temperature of gelatinization is 76 to 78 C, mean 77. 



Effects of Various Reagents. With chloral hydrate-iodine reaction begins in many grains in a 

 minute. About one-fifth are gelatinized in 30 minutes and one-fom-th in an hour. The reaction 

 is the same qualitatively as that of the grains of A^. horsfieldii. 



The reaction -nith chromic acid begins in 13^2 minutes and is over in 8 minutes. It is qualita- 

 tively the same as that of the grains of N. horsfieldii. 



Reaction with pyrogallic acid is slight but general in 23^ minutes. About one-fifth of the grains 

 are completely gelatinized in 16 minutes, one-half in 20 minutes, and two-thirds in 25 minutes. 

 The reaction is qualitatively the same as that of the grains of N. horsfieldii. 

 45 



Curve of Reaction-Intensities of Starch 

 tazetta var. orientelis. 



jf Na 



