1900-1.] On the Anatomical Characters of the Substance " Indian Soap." 5 



When these solvents are allowed to evaporate off, a whitish brown 

 amorphous mass remains. 



If small pieces or sections of the material be treated with eau de 

 javelle or potash, a bright red colouration is produced, running along 

 the boundary of the longitudinal strands and gradually diffusing over 

 the substance. By degrees a red liquid oozes out, which turns brown in 

 a few hours. (Fig. 7). 



If these solutions be treated with acid, a heavy, brownish white 

 flocculent precipitate is produced, probably the resinous acid. 



Staining with dry sections of alkanna root and fifty per cent, alcohol 

 gave an intense reddish pink colour, universally over the sections, but 

 somewhat more intense along the edges of the strands. Alcoholic 

 solutions of alkanna or sudan iii.* were obviously useless, owing to the 

 extreme solubility of the substance in question in alcohol. 



Some better results were obtained by using a concentrated ethereal 

 solution of Sudan. The sections, cut dry, were left in the stain for a few 

 seconds only, then washed in water and mounted in glycerine. 



These showed that the hypha; themselves were quite unstained, 

 whilst attached to them and scattered irregularly over them, were 

 deeply stained fragments and drops ; in addition, along the meshwork 

 of hyphae dividing the strands of larger hyphae, a pale pink stain was 

 given. The dark brown hyphae were still visible, retaining their usual 

 colour. (Figs. 13 and 14). This confirms the view that the resinous 

 substance is present in the innumerable fragments, adhering to all the 

 hyphae, and the presence of this substance explains the clearing of 

 sections with clove oil, xylol, or potash, when these fragments are almost 

 completely dissolved away. 



A spectroscopic examination of an alcoholic solution of the resinous 

 substance shows a complete absorption of the blue rays. 



As regards the nature of this substance " Indian Soap," the general 

 arrangement and character of the large colourless hyphae seem to 

 support Prof Macoun's conclusion that it consists of a fructification of 

 a Polyporus, — the longitudinal strands representing an incipient stage 

 in the formation of the Polyporus tube. The spores found, however, 

 were not in any definite position relative to these tubes, nor was their 

 arrangement on the hyphae in accordance with basidial formation. The 



* This dye has been described as a test for resins, fats, etc., by Buscalioni. 

 Un nuovo reattivo per I'istologia vegetale. See Bot. Centr., Nr. 22, 1899. 



