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2945- Groundsel. Birdseed. Chicken-weed. — The herbage of Senecio vulgaris L. 

 Native of Europe and naturalized in many other countries. 



2946. Senecionine (GJLeNOe). — An alkaloid existing in the preceding. 



2947. Fibrin. Gluten. — An albuminoid constituent of plants, of indefinite chemical 



composition. 



Starches 



Starch is manufactured by most plants, as a reserve 

 food supply, from the water taken in through the roots 

 and the carbonic acid gas inhaled from the atmosphere; 

 the chemical combination being effected by the sun's 

 energy, directed by the green coloring-matter (chlorophyl). 

 It is mostly stored in the form of granules, sometimes in 

 small rods, and is easily converted by the plant, or arti- 

 ficially, into glucose, in which form the plant consumes it. 

 In darkness the plant consumes starch previously formed 

 in daylight. Starch is insoluble in water and therefore 

 can be easily washed out from ground plant tissues. The 

 forms of the starch grains are so constant and characteristic 

 in each plant that they often afford an excellent method of 

 identifying the latter, even in powder. 



2948. Warabi starch. — Extracted from the rootstock of Pteris aquilina L. (Poly- 



podiaceae — Polypody Family). Native of the north temperate zone and 

 of tropical mountains. From Japan. 



2949. Coontie stem or "Rost." — The caudex of Zamia floridana DC. {Cycadaceae 



— Cycad Family). Native of Florida. Acquired at Miami, Florida, by 

 J. K. Small. 



2950. Coontie starch. Florida arrowroot starch. — A starch extracted from the 



preceding. Presented by A. B. Hurst, of Little River, Florida. 



2951. Another specimen of the same from Little River, Florida. Presented by 



Miss Ruth N. Sulzer. 



2952. Spent coontie root. — The refuse material after the removal of the starch 



from the preceding. Presented by A. B. Hurst, of Little River, Florida. 



2953. Bay rush. — The caudex of Zamia tenuis Willd. Native of the Bahama 



Islands and used as a source of starch. Acquired by N. L. Britton. 



2954. Wheat. — The grain of Triticum vulgare Vill. {Gramineae — Grass Family). 



Native of Europe and everywhere cultivated. 



2955. Wheat starch. — The starch extracted from the preceding. Presented by the 



New York College of Pharmacy. 



2956. Rye. — The grain of Secale cereale L. (Same family). Native of Asia and 



cultivated in all cool countries. 



2957. Rye starch. — The preceding, in the powdered state, showing the starch 



grains. 



