408 PHARMACOGNOSY [Bot. Absts. 



2805. Koxdo, Mantaro. Uber Nachreife undKeimung Verschieden Reifer Reiskorner. 

 Investigation on maturity and germination of rice seeds. [Oryza saliva L.] Ber. Ohara Inst. Land- 

 wirtsch. Forsch. 1 : 361-387. 1918. — The author found that rice grains in the milk (milchreif) 

 already possess germinating power, even if this is low. Immediately after the harvest they 

 germinate little and remain in the resting condition during a period of 30 days, even when the 

 surroundings are good for germination, but if they are kept .for about fifteen days after the , 

 harvest (or a month if not so dry) then they germinate well. Grains in the "yellow stage" 

 (gelbreif) also germinate but little when just harvested. After being kept for from one to 

 three months, they germinate just as well as the full grown grains. The latter germinate 

 soon after the harvest, but will do better after being kept and further delayed for a month. 

 Mature (todreif) grains germinate at once after harvest, but do not allow any delay. When 

 these are preserved dry, after-ripening (Nachreifeprozess) begins quickly and soon ends, 

 whereas if they are preserved moist, it proceeds slowly and lasts for a long time. When after- 

 ripening is complete, grains which have been kept moist germinate more abundantly and more 

 quickly than those kept dry. The preservation of the immature grains in the straw is often 

 very detrimental; germination goes very slowly and lasts for a long period. The more nearly 

 mature they are and the farther the after-ripening and drying has gone on, the more quickly 

 and uniformly does germination occur. — M. H. Chow. 



2806. Konda, Mantaro. Untersuchung der Samen der in Japan vertretenen Brassica- 

 arten. Ein Beitrag zur genauen Feststellung der Sortenunterschiede. Investigation of the 

 seeds appearing as mustard \Sinajris] in Japan. A contribution to the exact differentiation of 

 these forms. Berl. Ohara Inst. Landwirtsch. Forsch. I: 123-150. 1917. — The different kinds 

 of mustard may be distinguished by external characteristics and by the inner structure of the 

 seed-coat and of the cotyledons. While the external appearance of each kind of seed varied 

 greatly, each kind has its peculiar form, color, network, size and weight. He lists three shapes: 

 (1) spheroidal, (2) ovoid, (3) chestnut-shaped. There are also distinguishing colors, such as 

 egg-yolk yellow, chestnut-brown, brown, dark brown, wine-red, dark-purple, black-brown 

 and black. The colors of the different kinds of seed are so peculiar that they can often be 

 differentiated through this character alone. The}' are all very small and vary widely in size 

 and weight, but size and weight are of some value as specie marks. The surface of the seeds 

 coat shows a network which is large and clear in some kinds, or small and indistinct in ether 

 cases. This serves as another distinguishing feature. The epidermis of the seed-coat con- 

 sists either of this and flattened cells, or of polygonal, isodiametric mucilaginous cells, in 

 different kinds. The form of the cotyledons, that of the first true leaves, and the color of 

 the hypocotyledon are very different and are characteristic. The cotyledons are either cir- 

 cular, ovoid or elliptical, according to the species. The first leaf is either linear, spatulate, 

 elliptical or ovoid; either thickly hairy or only slightly so; its margin is smooth, toothed or 

 broken. The hypocotyledon is variously colored,— white, light green, rose, bluish brown or 

 dark violet. Most of these mustard seeds are odorless and tasteless, even when crushed. 

 Only those of takana and karaschi-na are characterized by a sharp, burning taste. — M. H. 

 Chow. 



2807. Samann, Karam. An experimental study of Strophanthus Kombe seeds. Pharm. 

 Jour. 103: 66-67. 1919. — Part I deals with the determination of (a) the activity of the fatty 

 oil present in the seeds; and (b) the existence or non-existence in the de-fatted seeds of a phys- 

 iologically active body beside the water-soluble strophanthin. Particular effort was made to 

 completely dehydrate the seeds and to ensure absolute purity and freedom from water of the 

 various solvents used, for the activity of the oil and of the ether extract obtained by some 

 previous investigators was probably due to the seeds and solvents not having been well dried. 

 — The results may be summarized as follows: (1) The oil of Strophanthus Kombe seeds iso- 

 lated by dry petroleum ether is inactive. — (2) The ethereal residue is inactive. — (3) The 

 poisonous property of the seeds is due to a water-soluble glucoside or glucosides. — (4) No 

 active principle other than the water-soluble body was removed by any of the solvents em- 

 ployed. — (5) Water completely removes the active principle from the seeds. — (6) Methyl 



