K;ii,j 



WOO—AMARANTHUS 



339 



sugars, both reducing and non-reducing, were comparatively high 

 in the green plant organs (6-8 per cent), while those of the seeds 

 are low (0.67-1. 14 per cent). 



Lipin fraction. — The percentage of this fraction is 4.5 for 

 A. blitoides and 7.78 for A. retroflexus. A closer examination of 

 this fatlike substance shows that it contains phosphorus and 

 nitrogen. The percentage of this nitrogen and phosphorus is 

 very low (calculated on dry weight basis of whole sample). The 

 presence of nitrogen and phosphorus indicates that the seeds con- 

 tain phosphotides. The atomic ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus 

 was determined by dividing the percentage by their respective 

 atomic weights. The atomic ratio of N:P for A. blitoides is 1:2.3, 

 and that for A . retroflexus is 1:2.6. This shows that other forms of 

 phosphorus must be present than that existing in "ideal lecithin," 

 which implies that the atomic ratio of N:P = i:i (5, 13). 



In addition to lecithin, a phytosterol was present in the seeds. 

 This could not be quantitatively determined by using animal 

 cholesterol as a standard, because animal cholesterol (17) has a 

 different tint from that of the plant. Buchard's color reaction 

 gives a deep blue color for animal cholesterol, while for the seeds 

 it gives a yellowish green. The amount of phytosterol in these two 

 species of seeds was compared. Assuming that the phytosterol in 

 A. blitoides is unity, that in A. retroflexus is 2.8. 



TABLE X 



Constituents of lipin fraction (Fj) of seeds (percentage dry weight) 



Material 



Lipin, fats, etc. (wet basis) . 



Lipin (dry basis) 



P in F, 



P calculated in whole sample 



N in F t 



N calculated in whole sample 



A. blitoides 



4-IS 

 458 

 O.300 



0014 

 o. 600 

 0.027 



4.07 



4 44 

 0.300 



0014 

 0.640 



0.027 



4-23 

 4.66 



A. retroflexus 



7.02 

 7.67 



o. 240 



O.OI9 

 O.402 

 O.O3I 



7.18 



7 . 86 

 o. 260 

 0.020 

 0.400 

 0.031 



7.09 

 7.78 

 o. 220 

 0.017 

 o 420 



0.033 



Inorganic elements. — The 191 7 seeds of Amaranthus retro- 

 flexus were used for the estimation of the inorganic elements. 

 The percentage of total ash given in table IV is 3 . 59 per cent for 

 A. blitoides and 4. 20 for A. retroflexus, but this is actually too low 



