NARCISSUS. 



555 



With selenite the quadrants are not clear-cut, and 

 they are unequal in size and often irregular in shape. 

 The colors are usually not pure, and there are few which 

 have a greenish tinge. 



Comparison of the polariscopic properties between 

 N. poeticus poetarum and N. abscissus shows : 



The figure is somewhat more distinct and well de- 

 fined. The lines cross at angles whose size is as variable, 

 and are as often bent and bisected. The figure is as often 

 multiple and there are as many figures which have the 

 forms of a conjugate hyperbola, or a long line bisected 

 at both ends. 



The degree of polarization is somewhat less (value 

 40), as there are fewer grains with a moderate and more 

 with a low degree of polarization. There is the same 

 amount of variation in a given aspect of an individual 

 grain. 



With selenite the quadrants are more often clean- 

 cut, but they are as unequal in size and as irregular in 

 shape. The colors are not pure and there are fewer 

 grains which have a greenish tinge. 



IODINE REACTIONS. 



With 0.125 per cent Lugol's solution the grains all 

 color a light to moderate violet tinged with blue (value 40) 

 and the color deepens with moderate rapidity, assuming 

 more of a bluish tint until it becomes very deep. With 

 0.125 per cent Lugol's solution the grains all color a light 

 violet, and the color deepens with moderate rapidity, 

 assuming a distinct bluish tint, until it is deep. After 

 heating in water until all the grains are gelatinized and 

 then adding a 2 per cent Lugol's solution, the gelatinized 

 grains all color a moderate to deep indigo, and the solu- 

 tion a moderate indigo. If the preparation is boiled for 

 2 minutes and then treated with an excess of a 2 per cent 

 Lugol's sohition the grain-residues all color a light or a 

 light to moderate indigo, the capsules a red or reddish 

 violet, and the solution a very deep indigo. 



Comparison of the iodine reactions between N. poeti- 

 cus poef.arum and N. abscissus shows : 



With 0.25 per cent Lugol's solution the grains color 

 somewhat more than in N. abscissus (value 45), and so 

 also with 0.125 per cent Lugol's solution. After heating 

 in water until the grains are gelatinized and then treating 

 with a 2 per cent Lugol's solution, the gelatinized grains 

 color somewhat less and the solution more than in N. 

 abscissus. After boiling the preparation for 2 minutes 

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

 solution the grain-residues are less and the solution 

 more deeply colored than in N. abscissus. 



ANILINE REACTIONS. 



With gentian violet the grains all color very lightly 

 at once, and in 30 minutes they are light to moderately 

 colored (value 33). Some grains are more stained than 

 others, but there is no difference in the depth of color in 

 different parts of the individual grains. 



With safranin the grains all color very lightly at once, 

 and in 30 minutes they are moderately colored (value 

 47), more than with gentian violet. Some grains are 

 more stained than others, but there is no difference in 

 the depth of color in different parts of the individual 

 grains. 



Comparison of the aniline reactions between N. poeti- 

 cus and N. abscissus shows : 



With gentian violet the grains are colored somewhat 

 more (value 35) and there is no variation in color in the 

 different grains. 



With safranin they are colored somewhat more (value 

 50) and there is no variation in color in the different 

 grains. There is very little difference to be noted between 

 the two starches in the reactions with aniline stains. 



TEMPERATURE REACTIONS. 



The temperature of gelatinization of the majority of 

 the grains is 69.5 to 71 C., and that of all the grains 

 is 73 to 74.8 C., mean 73.9 C. 



Comparison of the temperature reactions between N. 

 poeticus poetarum and N. abscissus shows : 



The temperature of gelatinization is somewhat lower 

 than that of 2V. abscissus, 71 to 73 C., mean 72 C. 



EFFECTS OF VABIOUS REAGENTS. 



The reaction with chloral hydrate begins in 1 min- 

 ute. Complete gelatinization occurs in about 1 per cent 

 of the entire number of grains and 2 per cent of the 

 total starch in 5 minutes; in about 3 per cent of the 

 grains and 4 per cent of the total starch in 15 minutes ; 

 in about 8 per cent of the grains and 11 per cent of the 

 total starch in 30 minutes; in about 15 per cent of the 

 grains and 17 per cent of the total starch in 45 minutes ; 

 and in about 16 per cent of the grains and 18 per cent 

 of the total starch in 60 minutes. (Chart D 305.) 



The hilum is not distinct unless a bubble is formed 

 there, and a large bubble develops in a majority of the 

 grains. The lamellae are not visible at any time during 

 the reaction. The grains become more refractive after 

 the addition of the reagent, and the first part to show 

 this change is a rather narrow band of material about 

 the margin. Gelatinization begins at the distal end or 

 just to one side of the distal end and proceeds according 

 to three methods. In the first, which is seen in the 

 majority of the grains, the proximal end gelatinizes 

 soon after the distal end and gelatinization progresses 

 from both ends toward the portion of the grain just distal 

 to the hilum, which is the most re&istant part of the 

 grain and which at the end of the reaction is split length- 

 wise by a fissure and separated into two pieces which 

 gelatinize separately. In the second method, which is 

 seen in a moderate number of grains, gelatinization be- 

 gins at the distal margin and proceeds toward the hilum 

 with serial separation of the lamellae until the hilum is 

 reached. The hilum swells suddenly and the bubble, 

 if present, swells, then shrinks, and finally disappears, 

 and the proximal starch becomes more hyaline in ap- 

 pearance and then is rapidly gelatinized. In the third 

 method, which is also seen in a moderate number of 

 grains, the marginal material is all gelatinized and the 

 inner portion gradually grows more refractive, then is 

 invaded by irregular fissures and small pieces broken off 

 which float off and are gelatinized. When the hilum is 

 reached it swells suddenly and the portion immediately 

 surrounding it, which is the most resistant part of the 

 grain, is rapidly gelatinized. The gelatinized grains are 

 much swollen and have thin capsules. They are greatly 

 distorted and do not bear any resemblance to the form 

 of the untreated grain. 



Comparison of the chloral-hydrate reactions between 

 N. poeticus poetarum and N. abscissus shows: 



