NARCISSUS. 



525 



The liilum, if not fissured, is as distinct as in IV. 

 poelicus ornalus; but it is usually fissured, not so fre- 

 quently as in N. poeticus poetarum or N. poeticus herrick, 

 but as extensively and as deeply as in N. poeticus poe- 

 tarum. The fissures have the following forms: (1) 

 Cruciate-, Y-, and T-shaped; (2) a straight line longi- 

 tudinally or horizontally placed; (3) an irregularly stel- 

 late group of fissures. The hiluni is sometimes centric, 

 but in the majority of the grains is eccentric from 0.453 

 to 0.3, usually 0.38, of the longitudinal axis. In the 

 character and eccentricity of the hilum N. poeticus dante 

 shows a closer relationship to N. poeticus poetarum than 

 to N. poeticus ornalus. 



N. poeticus dante shows as close a relationship to 

 N. poeticus poetarum as does N. poeticus herrick to N. 

 poeticus ornalus. 



The lamellae are in character, arrangement, and dis- 

 tinctness the same as those described under N. poeticus 

 poetarum. The number counted on some of the larger 

 grains varies from 8 to 14, usually 10. In the character 

 and arrangement of the lamellae a. poeticus dante shows 

 a closer relationship to N. poeticus poetarum than to 

 N. poeticus ornatus. 



N. poeticus dante shows as close a relationship to 

 N. poeticus poetarum as IV. poeticus herrick does to 

 N. poeticus ornatus. 



In size the grains vary from the smaller which are 5 

 by 5/JL, to the larger broad forms which are 38 by 50/j,, 

 in length and breadth. The common sizes are 32 by 32/x 

 and 32 by 40/x. 



In size N. poeticus dante shows a closer relationship 

 to 2V. poeticus poetarum than to N. poeticus ornatus. 



N. poeticus dante is larger than N. herrick and there- 

 fore not so close to N. poeticus poetarum in size. 



POLAKISCOPIC PROPERTIES. 



The figure is usually distinct and is rarely well 

 defined as in N. poeticus poetarum. The lines bisect 

 one another at angles of varying size and are apt to be 

 bisected and bent as in N. poeticus poetarum. The 

 figure is more often a cross than in IV. poeticus poetarum, 

 but the other figures described under that starch are 

 also seen. 



The degree of polarization varies from low to very 

 high (value 47), somewhat lower than in IV. poeticus 

 ornatus, much higher than in IV. poeticus poetarum, and 

 the same as in the other hybrid. There is the same 

 amount of variation in the same aspect of a given grain 

 as in IV. poeticus ornatus. 



With selenite as in IV. poeticus poetarum the quad- 

 rants are not well defined and are irregular in size and 

 shape. The colors are usually not pure and there are 

 very few grains which show a greenish tinge. 



In the character of the figure and the appearances 

 with selenite IV. poeticus dante shows a closer relation- 

 ship to IV. poeticus poetarum, and in the degree of 

 polarization to IV. poeticus ornatus. N. poeticus dante 

 and IV. poeticus herrick show the same degree of close 

 relationship to IV. poeticus poetarum in the polarization, 

 figure, and the reactions with selenite, but to IV. poeticus 

 ornatus in the degree of polarization. 

 IODINE REACTIONS. 



With 0.25 per cent Lugol's solution the grains all 

 color a moderate violet tinged with blue (value 45), the 



same as in N. poeticus poetarum and the other hybrid, 

 and the color deepens with moderate rapidity until it is 

 very deep, becoming bluer in tint at the same time. 

 With 0.125 per cent Lugol's solution the grains all color 

 a light violet, the same as in IV. poeticus poetarum. 

 After heating in water until all the grains are completely 

 gelatinized and then adding a 2 per cent Lugol's solution 

 the gelatinized grains all color a moderate indigo-blue 

 and the solution a deep indigo-blue as in IV. poeticus 

 poetarum. If the preparation is boiled for 2 minutes 

 and then treated with an excess of 2 per cent Lugol's 

 solution most of the grain-residues color a light indigo- 

 blue, and only the capsules of some are colored. The 

 capsules color a red or a reddish violet, and the solution 

 a very deep indigo-blue as in IV. poeticus poetarum. 

 Qualitatively and quantitatively the iodine reactions of 

 IV. poeticus dante are closer to those of IV. poeticus poe- 

 tarum than to those of IV. poeticus ornatus. There are 

 no marked differences between the reactions of the two 

 hybrids. 



ANILINE REACTIONS. 



With gentian violet the grains all color lightly at 

 once, and in half an hour they are lightly to moderately 

 colored (value 35), the same as in IV. poeticus poetarum. 



With safranin the grains color lightly at once, and 

 in half an hour they are moderately colored (value 50) 

 the same as in IV. poeticus poetarum. 



In the reaction with aniline stains IV. poeticus dante 

 shows a much closer relationship to IV. poeticus poetarum 

 than to IV. poeticus ornatus. 



N. poeticus dante stains more than does IV. poeticus 

 herrick and is closer to IV. poeticus poetarum. 



TEMPERATURE REACTIONS. 



The temperature of gelatinization of the majority 

 of the grains is 71.2 to 73.1 C., and of all is 74 to 76 

 C., mean 75 C. The temperature of gelatinization of 

 IV. poeticus herrick shows a much closer relationship 

 to IV. poeticus ornatus than to IV. poeticus poetarum. 

 The temperature of gelatinization of N. poeticus dante is 

 lower than that of IV. poeticus herrick and is practically 

 mid-intermediate between IV. poeticus ornatus and IV. 

 poeticus poetarum. 



EFFECTS OF VARIOUS REAGENTS. 



The reaction with chloral hydrate begins in a few 

 grains in 1 minute. Complete gelatinization occurs in 

 about 4 per cent of the entire number of grains and 7 per 

 cent of the total starch in 5 minutes ; in about 6 per cent 

 of the grains and 10 per cent of the total starch in 15 

 minutes; in about 7 per cent of the grains and 12 per 

 cent of the total starch in 30 minutes; in about 11 per 

 cent of the grains and 16 per cent of the total starch in 

 45 minutes; little if any further advance in 60 minutes. 

 (Chart D 259.) 



There are a few grains in which a bubble is formed 

 at the hilum as in IV. poeticus herrick, and fewer than in 

 either parent. The lamellae are at first indistinct and 

 later become moderately distinct as in both parents and 

 IV. poeticus herrick. The marginal band of starch, which 

 is the first part to show an increased refractivity, is as 

 narrow and refractive as in IV. poeticus poetarum, and 

 narrower and less refractive than in either IV. poeticus 

 ornatus or IV. poeticus herrick. Gelatinization begins 



