866 



STARCHES OF HELLEBORACE^. 



Reaction with chromic acid begins at once and is over in 30 seconds. The process appears to 

 consist in the widening of the fissures and the sudden dissolution of most of the starch, attended by 

 great swelling. The grains at first are thin-walled, somewhat invaginated and wrinkled, but they 

 rapidly disappear into solution. 



With pyrogallic acid reaction begins at once in many grains, is general in 15 to 30 seconds, and 

 is over in 2 minutes. It consists in the early swelling of the hilum, the melting down of the greater 

 part of the grain into a gelatinous mass, and great general swelling. The gelatinized grains are large, 

 thin-walled, somewhat wrinkled, and distorted, but retain much of the original form of the grain. 



With /erne chloride in some grains reaction begins in 30 seconds and is general in 1}4 minutes. 

 The majority are gelatinized in 4 miimtes and all in 7 minutes. The reaction begins at the ends of 

 the grains with great swelling and irregular protrusions and spreads inward. The inner portion 

 becomes split by fissures, usually in the position of the fissures originally dividing the hilum, and 

 the pieces separate and gelatinize independently v.athin the capsule. Large, irregular, gelatinized 

 grains are formed, which are lobulated, folded, and creased, and retain liut little of the original form. 



The reaction with Purdy's soluUon appears to be practically instantaneous. In character it is 

 like that of pyrogallic acid. 



NOTES ON THE STARCHES OF HELLEBORACE.E. (Charts 378 to 380.) 



The starches of Actcea and Ciniicifuga agree in histological peculiarities, but the starch of 

 Eranthis is of a different type and accordingly readily differentiated. Corresponding relationships 

 are seen in the reactions, the most marked differences being noted in Eranthis, as compared with 

 Acta:a and Cimicifuga, in the high degree of polarization; the low reactivity with iodine; the high 

 reactivity with anilines; the low temperature of gelatinization ; the greater resistance to chloral 

 hydrate-iodine, chromic acid, pyrogallic acid, and ferric chloride; and the lower resistance to Purdy',? 

 solution. The chief tliffcrences between Actcea and Cimicifuga are recorded in the iodine, aniline, 

 temperature, and Purily solution reactions. The Actcea starches present no specially marked 

 differences in either their histological features or reactions except in size and color reactions. 



Chart No. 378. 



GV S T CI CA PA FC PS CI PA CA 



^0 

 25 



p 1 Gv r p 

 s 



VL VL B0 



Chart No. 379. 



G\/ S T CI CA PA FC P S CI PA CA 



I 



15 



20 



Composite Curve of Mean Reaction-Intensities of 

 Starch of Acteea. 



Curve of Reaction- Intensities of Starch of Cimicifuga. 



Qart No. 380. 



GV S T CI CA PA FC PS CI PA CA 



30 

 35 

 <10 

 45 

 50 



Curve of Reactioil'lntensities of Starch of Eranthis. 



