1 1 2 Researches respecting the 



did not belong to the epidermis. The result of his observa- 

 tions showed that these brilUant points were neither holes 

 nor the orifices of vessels, for they were not altered by de- 

 siccation and maceration. " As they are not," says he, 

 *' resinous or gummy moleculae, since they arc unalterable 

 in water and spirit of wine, what can they be r" 



It appears to me that the formation of these globules is 

 not owing to an inspissation of the utricular juice, and that 

 the green colour which they assume bv exposure to the 

 light is only a modification depending on the eflects of that 

 fluid. 



Besides the globules here mentioned, there are found in 

 the utriculi of some plants singular organs with the uses 

 of which I am unacquainted. These organs, represented 

 fig. lo. A, and fig. 16, are small, prismatic, smooth, and 

 transparent filaments of equal length, terminating in a point 

 on each side, and united in a bundle to the number of forty 

 or fifty, and even more. 



In a leaf of the fritillaria which had been macerated for 

 some time, these bundles are distinguished by the naked 

 eye through the utriculi, like small, elongated, whitish, ar- 

 genteous bodies, disposed in the direction of the length of 

 the leaf. 



T found them in the bulb of the leiicnjum vermim, of the 

 snUa /'ij'olia and viar'i thna , in the stem of the phytolaca 

 drcanclrn, and in its leaves, where they are very apparent, 

 especially when the pellicle has been removed from the in- 

 ferior surface. 



In the aloe, besides these bundles there arc seen a great 

 number of other prismatic filaments similar to the preced- 

 ing, but insulated, larger, and lodged, as appeared to me^ 

 between the utricular interstices. 



I saw also in the stem of the nenuphar other insulated 

 filaments lodged also between the utriculce, but cvlindric, 

 shagreened on the outside, and from the middle of which 

 there proceed in general two or three ramifications, fig. 17. 



Having accidentally touched my face with my hands 

 l^'hile 1 was examining the aloe, I soon experienced a vio- 

 lent itching, which I ascribed to the entrance of these 

 prisms into my skin. To ascertain this fact, { rubbed the 

 Dack of my hand with a piece of a leaf of that plant ; which 

 occasioned a strong smarting pain followed by a cutaneous 

 eruption. 1 repeated this experiment with the parenchynie 

 of the scUla viaritiina, and found the same result. 



If the leaves of the narcissi/s, hyachth, nmunjUis forvxo- 

 sissima, and scilla lifolia, be cut transverst.ly, there will be 



seen 



