Claus et al.\ "Organized Elements" in Chondrites 591 



variedly shaped "nucleus" or hilum and the layered starch is around it. The 

 mcoposition of the "hilum" is unknown. It seems that it is proteinaceous in 

 nature. The sole exception from this is represented by Rhodophyta, in which 

 the so-called Floridean starch develops always in the cytoplasms, is unlayered 

 and is lacking a "nucleus." This compound, however, is closer to glycogen in 

 its composition as it stains brown instead of blue with iodine. The shape of 

 starch grains, their mode of layering and the form of their "nuclei" is constant 

 and species specific, thus, it is a true genotypical feature which gives a good 

 basis to establish relationships between different plants. The pictures of the 

 starch grains in the endospermia of varied Gramineae, the so-called amylo- 

 grams, were successfuUy used in the ehicidation of several important micro- 

 systematic problems (Soo, 1953). 



None of the 6 starches showed a positive reaction after Feulgen staining. 

 Actually, the grains became so translucent that it took considerable time to 

 recognize them in regular transmitted light. There were several dark bhie 

 dots on the slides, however, which in phase contrast were found to be the 

 "nuclei" of the grains; they were invariably surrounded with a translucent 

 envelope, showing concentric rings and corresponding in size and shape to the 

 grains before treatment. In the case of the Cassava starch (grains of Manihot 

 utilissima) the envelope occasionally turned faint blue on exposure to the 

 Feulgen stain. It seems that the starch grains are inhomogeneous in their 

 chemical composition and the circular striations are caused by a very thin 

 layer of a matter different from amylum. The envelope covering the grains 

 must be of the same material as those that cause the circles. That we were 

 dealing with true structural elements that upon the action of P'eulgen staining 

 occasionally turned faint blue could be determined by investigating ruptured 

 or broken grains. In these cases fringes of the envelope and of the circles 

 could be observed on the edges of the ruptures. No other staining and not 

 even the unstained materials gave similar results. The possibility exists that 

 the starch was at least partially hydrolyzed by the HCl and that this procedure 

 made conditions favorable for the detection of the envelope. The staining 

 pattern of the starch "hila" and that of the envelope after the Feulgen stain 

 do not allow us, as yet, to conclude anything about their nature. We may, 

 however, conjecture, per analogiam, to the green algae that the starch "nuclei" 

 may be proteinaceous in nature. 



It is clear from these experimental results that the claim of Fitch and Anders' 

 (1963) that one of the type 2 organized elements (stained with Feulgen staining 

 and showing a diffuse pink coloration) is a starch grain is unfounded. These 

 authors demonstrate that the Schiff reagent is a nonspecific carbohydrate stain, 

 which is even capable of reacting with several inorganic materials, including 

 clay minerals. They show pictures of deep magenta colored starch grains, 

 dyed with the Schiff reagent and conclude that as Feulgen staining uses the 

 Schiff reagent, it is nonspecific, hence the organized element in question is most 

 probably a starch grain. This conclusion is in error as shown by figures 

 la-Id. Figure la shows a type 1 ; figure lb a type 2 organized element after 

 Feulgen staining. In figure 7c is shown the Cassava starch with Feulgen and 

 in figure Id with PAS staining. 



