58 



HISTOLOGIC PROPERTIES AND REACTIONS. 



potassium sulphocyauate, sodium hydroxide, sodium sul- 

 phide, sodium salicylate, and strontium nitrate; the high 

 reactions with gentian violet, saf ranin, and chromic acid ; 

 the moderate reactions with iodine, temperature, calcium 

 nitrate, and uranium nitrate; the low reactions with 

 chloral hydrate, potassium sulphide, cobalt nitrate, cop- 

 per nitrate, cupric chloride, and mercuric chloride; and 

 the very low reaction with barium chloride. 



(5) In C. powellii the very high reactions with polar- 

 ization, chromic acid, pyrogallic acid, nitric acid, sul- 

 phuric acid, hydrochloric acid, potassium hydroxide, 

 potassium iodide, potassium sulphocyanate, sodium hy- 

 droxide, sodium sulphide, sodium salicylate, calcium 

 nitrate, uranium nitrate, and strontium nitrate; the 

 high reactions with gentian violet, safranin, copper ni- 

 trate, cupric chloride, and mercuric chloride ; the mod- 

 erate reactions with iodine, temperature, and cobalt 

 nitrate ; the low reactions with chloral hydrate, potassium 

 sulphide, and barium chloride; and the absence of any 

 very low reaction. 



The following is a summary of the reaction-intensities : 



NOTES ON THE CRINUMS. 



Among the starches studied are three from recognized 

 species, two of which, C. moorei and C. longifolium, are 

 more closely related botanically and horticulturally than 

 is either to C. zeylanicum. The first two are stated to 

 be the only hardy species of the genus, C. moorei being 

 less hardy than C. longifolium. C. powellii, the hybrid 

 of C. moorei and C. longifolium, is recorded as being 

 more hardy than C. moorei. 



In comparing the reactions of the starches of these 

 three species as presented in Charts E 7, E 8, and E 9, 

 several features of interest in addition to those already 

 referred to will be noted : 



(1) The wide separation of the curves of C. longi- 

 folium and C. moorei from the curve of C. zeylanicum, 

 a departure so mtfrked as to suggest a greater difference 

 botanically than is recognized or that it is an expression 

 of marked horticultural difference. The explanation 

 seems to rest in the latter : C. longifolium and C. moorei 

 are, as stated, hardy crinums, and they exhibit a far 

 higher reactivity than C. zeylanicum, a tender crinum, 

 which has a low degree of reactivity. A number of the 

 tender crinums were studied in respect to the reactive- 

 intensities, including the well-known species, C. ameri- 

 canum, C. erubescens, C. fimbriatulum, C. scabrum, and 

 C. virginicum, all of which have low reactivity curves 

 corresponding with the curve of C. zeylanicum. There- 

 fore, it seems probable that among species of this genus 

 hardiness or tenderness bears an inverse relationship to 

 reactive-intensity. Such a relationship has been noted 

 in other genera, as, for instance, between Amaryllis and 

 Hippeastrum, the former being relatively hardy and 

 the latter tender; the former being of distinctly higher 

 mean reactivity than the latter. In accordance with the 

 foregoing there are two generic types of curves which 



correspond with the two groups of hardy and tender 

 groups of plants, respectively, and it appears from the 

 charts that the hybrid C. kircape is in a marked measure 

 in the nature of a connecting link between the two 

 groups. 



(2) The type of curve of C. longifolium and C. 

 moorei, notwithstanding that these curves are far sepa- 

 rated in all of the important reactions from the curve 

 of C. zeylanicum, corresponds with that of C. zeylanicum. 

 The rises and falls are strikingly coincident coinci- 

 dences that could be greatly accentuated by modifications 

 in the strengths of the reagents. 



(3) The curves of the hybrids, in the three charts 

 exhibit certain well-defined peculiarities: In each the 

 hybrid curve tends to follow closely one parent, that of 

 C. hybridum j. c. harvey following the curve of C. zey- 

 lanicum; that of C. powellii the curve of C. moorei; and 

 that of G. kircape the curve of C. zeylanicum. The rela- 

 tively very potent influences of C. zeylanicum on the 

 properties of the hybrid are strikingly evident, espe- 

 cially on C. hybridum j. c. harvey. 



As regards sameness, intermediateness, and deficit of 

 development in relation to the parents, the data of the 

 three sets of starches show marked differences, as is illus- 

 trated in the following summaries : 



10. COMPARISONS OF THE STAECHES OF NEEINE 

 CBISPA, N. ELEGANS, N. DAINTY MAID, AND N. 

 QUEEN OF EOSES. 



In histologic characteristics, polariscopic figures, 

 reactions with selenite, qualitative reactions with iodine, 

 and qualitative reactions with the various chemical reag- 

 ents, all four starches exhibit properties in common in 

 varying degrees of development, and each starch has 

 certain individualities. The starch of Nerine elegans 

 in comparison with that of the other parent N. crispa is 

 found to contain compound grains which have a larger 

 number of components, and also aggregates which are 

 not found in the latter. The grains are more regular in 

 form, of less breadth usually in proportion to length, 

 and in the majority of the grains the proximal end is 

 smaller than the distal end, whereas in N. crispa only 

 the minority of the grains have this feature. The hilum 

 is not so distinct, less fissured, and slightly more eccen- 

 tric. The lamellse are, as a rule, finer but not so dis- 

 tinct; there are more grains that have lamellae that are 

 not so fine at the distal end as near the hilum; and the 

 number of lamellae is less. The sizes are generally less 

 and there are differences in the ratios of length to 

 breadth. In the polariscopic figures, reactions with 

 selenite, and qualitative reactions with iodine there are 

 many differences, mostly apparently of a minor charac- 



