380 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Cyanogenesis in plants, IV- V, W. R. Dunstan, T. A. Henky, and S. J. M. 



AuLD (rroc. Hoy. Soc. [LundonJ, Her. B, 78 {1906), No. B523, pp. 145-158). — 

 The authors are making a systematic investigation of various plants with a 

 view to ascertaining definitely whether they contain phaseolunatin. They 

 have already reported upon the presence of this glucoside in Phaseolus lunatus 

 (E. S. R., 15, p. 55G), and in the present papers they deal with investigations 

 with flax and cassava plants. 



Previous investigators have reported the presence of a glucoside, linamarin, 

 in flax, and the authors' studies have been carried on to determine its possible 

 identity with phaseolunatin. In the isolation of the glucoside it is found that 

 the flax plant differs from Lotus arahicus and Sorghum vulgare, which show a 

 steadily increasing amount of glucoside until the plant approaches maturity, 

 after which it decreases until there is none present in the seed. In the flax 

 the seed contains a small amount of glucoside, which increases on germination, 

 and reaches a maximum when the plants have attained a height of 2 or 3 in., 

 after which it gradually diminishes and finally disappears. The authors Iso- 

 lated the' glucoside from flax plants about 4 or 5 in. in height in which stems, 

 leaves, and roots were used. The material obtained was compared with 

 phaseolunatin. and the two substances proved to be identical. A study of the 

 euzym of the flax showed that it would hydrolyze phaseolunatin from the 

 seeds of Phaseolus lunatus and vice versa, so it seems probable that the euzym 

 in both plants' is identical. 



In the second paper a report is given on the occurrence of phaseolunatin in 

 cassava plants, the studies being made largely of the rind of the bitter root, 

 which was specially prepared for the investigation. From this material a 

 glucoside was separated w-hich does not differ in any way from that obtained 

 from the other plants mentioned above, and the euzym is closely related to, if 

 not identical with, the emulsin-like ferment obtained from the seeds of P. 

 lunatus and from young flax plants. It appears from the investigations that 

 these plants, representing three widely separated orders, contain the same 

 glucoside. 



Additional species of rosaceous plants containing hydrocyanic acid, L. 

 GuiGNARD {Voiitpt. lUiid.Acud. *s'ci. [Paris], 11,3 (1906), No. I4, pp. Ji51-Jf58). — 

 Hitherto most of the species of rosaceous plants that have been reported to 

 contain hydrocyanic acid in their foliage have belonged to the tribe Prunew. 

 The author made extended investigations and found that a considerable num- 

 ber of species belonging to other tribes also contain hydrocyanic acid in their 

 leaves. The amounts present vary from a mere trace to as great a content as 

 that reported for the cherry laurel. The number of species known to contain 

 hydrocyanic acid is about double that previously reported. 



The latent vitality of seeds, P. Becquerel {Compt. Rend. Acad. Set. [Paris], 

 142 (1906), No. 26, pp. 15Jf9-1551). — The author reports investigations on 550 

 species of seed, representing 30 of the more important families of plants, the 

 seeds having been kept in storage from 25 to 135 years. 



In the experiments at least 10 seeds were selected, carefully washed in 

 sterilized water, and partially decorticated so as to make the integuments 

 permeable. They were then placed on aseptic cotton under glass covers 

 and kept at a imiform temperature of 28°. The results of the investigations 

 are given in detail. Eighteen out of 1)0 leguminous species germinated, as 

 well as 3 species of Nelnmbium seed, 1 species of Malvacete, and 1 of Labiatfe. 

 These seeds ranged in age from the season of 1819 to 1878, and in the case of 

 one species of Nelumbium to 1888. No seed germinated belonging to any of the 

 Graminea?, Liliacete, Urticete, Polygouaceti', Chenopodiacene, Ranunculaceie, Eu- 



