JOURNAL OF THE OQLLEGE OF SCIENCE, IMPERIAL UNIVERSITY. 

 TOKYO, JAPAN. 



VOL. XVIII., ARTICLE 3. 



On the Formation of Anthocyan in the Petaloid 

 Calyx of the Red Japanese Hortense. 



Bv 



T. Ichimura, Bigahushi. 

 Professor of Bioloj^y in the Fourth High School, Kaiiiizawa. 



IJlth one Plate. 



T. Introduction. 



It is well known tluit tlio different shades of red and Mue 

 observed in vegetable organs are dne to tlie presence of antlioevan^' 

 in different stages of its development, tlie red pigment found, for 

 instance, in the skin of many ripe fruits (Pi'unns, Pirns, Vae- 

 cininm, Vitis, etc.), in .some young shoots (Acer, Ilex, Cinnamonnim, 

 Asparagus, etc.), and in various flowers (Pteonia, Pharbitis, Phlox, 

 Portulacca, Celo.sia, etc.) being anthocyan in some steige of 

 development. 



Very little is known, however, of the chemical nature of 

 anthocyan and, more especially, of the mode of its formation ; 

 a fresh investigation in these directions seemed, therefore to l)e 

 highly desirable. Among the few known reactions of anthocyan 



Ij Marqnart's anthocyan, and Fremy's and Cloëz's ovanin are identical. 



