NARCISSUS. 



561 



The lamellae are more distinct and finer than in N. 

 albicans. The number can be determined on most of 

 the grains and is usually 10. 



In size the grains are very nearly the same, but as 

 a rule slightly larger. The common sizes are 20 by 24/t, 

 20 by 28/i, and 24 by 20/t. 



POLARISCOPIC PROPERTIES. 



The figure is moderately to well denned. The lines 

 cross at right angles or at acute angles which do not vary 

 greatly in size. They are not often bent or bisected. 

 There are a few figures which are not crosses, but have 

 the form of an hyperbola or of a long line bisected at both 

 ends. 



The degree of polarization varies from low to high 

 (value 37), and the greater number of grains shows 

 a low or a moderate degree of polarization. There is 

 also considerable variation in a given aspect of the 

 same grain. 



With selenite the quadrants are moderately well de- 

 fined, unequal in size, and usually regular in shape. 

 The colors are usually not pure, and very rarely is one 

 seen with a greenish tinge. 



Comparison of the polariscopic properties between 

 N. abscissus and N. albicans shows : 



The figure is as distinct, but is not so well defined. 

 The lines cross at angles of widely varying size and are 

 often bent. There are more figures with the form of 

 a conjugate hyperbola, or a long line bisected at both 

 ends than in N. albicans. 



The degree of polarization is more (value 43) and 

 there are more grains in which the degree of polarization 

 is moderately high and high. There is less variation 

 in a given aspect of the same grain. 



With selenite the quadrants are not so clean-cut and 

 are more irregular in shape. The colors are more often 

 pure and there are more grains which have a greenish 

 tinge. 



IODINE REACTIONS. 



With 0.25 per cent Lugol's solution the grains all 

 color a moderate violet tinged with blue (value 55), and 

 the color deepens -with moderate rapidity until they are 

 all very deeply colored and bluer in tint. With 0.125 

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

 and the color deepens with moderate rapidity until the 

 grains are all deeply colored and have more of a bluish 

 tint. After heating in water until the grains are all 

 gelatinized and then treating with a 2 per cent Lugol's 

 solution the gelatinized grains all color a moderate indigo 

 and the solution a deep indigo. If the preparation is 

 boiled for 2 minutes and then treated with an excess of 

 a 2 per cent Lugol's solution, the grain-residues all color 

 a light indigo, the capsules a red or reddish violet, and 

 the solution a very deep indigo. 



Comparison of the iodine reactions between N. ab- 

 scissus and N. albicans shows : 



With 0.25 per cent Lugol's solution the grains color 

 less (value 40) and so also with 0.125 Lugol's solution. 

 After heating in water until the grains are all gelatinized 

 and treating with a 2 per cent Lugol's solution, the 

 grains are more and the solution less colored. After 

 boiling for 2 minutes and treating with an excess of a 



2 per cent Lugol's solution, the grain residues are more 

 colored, the capsules and solution the same as in N. 

 albicans. 



ANILINE REACTIONS. 



With gentian violet the grains all color very lightly 

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

 colored (value 40). The grains are all equally colored 

 and there is no variation in color in different parts of 

 the same grain. 



With safranin the grains all color very lightly at once, 

 and in 30 minutes they are moderately colored (value 50), 

 more than with gentian violet. The grains are all equally 

 colored and there is no variation in color in different parts 

 of the same grain. 



Comparison of the aniline reactions between N. ab- 

 scissus and N. albicans shows : 



With gentian violet the grains are more lightly colored 

 (value 33), with safranin they are somewhat less deeply 

 colored (value 47), but the difference is not so great as 

 with gentian violet. 



TEMPERATURE REACTIONS. 



The temperature of gelatinization of the majority 

 of the grains is 70.2 to 72 C., and of all is 73 to 75 

 C., mean 74 C. 



Comparison of the temperature reactions between 

 N. abscissus and N. albicans shows : 



The temperature of gelatinization is very nearly the 

 same as in N. albicans 73 to 74.8 C., mean 73.9 C. 



EFFECTS OF VARIOUS REAGENTS. 



The reaction with chloral hydrate begins in a few 

 grains in 2 minutes. Complete gelatinization occurs in 

 less than 0.5 per cent of the entire number of grains 

 and total starch in 5 minutes; in about 11 per cent of 

 the grains and 14 per cent of the total starch in 15 

 minutes; in about 28 per cent of the grains and 31 per 

 cent of the total starch in 30 minutes; in about 37 per 

 cent of the grains and 40 per cent of the total starch in 

 45 minutes; and in about 40 per cent of the grains and 

 43 per cent of the total starch in 60 minutes. (Chart 

 D311.) 



The hilum becomes distinct, accompanied by the for- 

 mation of a small bubble in a great majority of the grains. 

 The lamellae are usually not visible, and when visible 

 they are not very distinct. The grains become more re- 

 fractive after the addition of the reagent, and the first 

 portion of the grain to be so affected is a rather broad 

 band of the marginal starch. Gelatinization begins at 

 various discrete points on the margin at the distal end 

 or side, and progresses first from point to point around 

 the margin and then inward, preceded by fissuring of the 

 ungelatinized starch and separation and subsequent 

 gelatinization of rather large particles, so that the un- 

 gelatinized material soon assumes an angular rather than 

 rounded form. Gelatinization proceeds more rapidly 

 along the margin than in the interior, so that the mar- 

 ginal deposit even at the proximal end, is gelatinized 

 before the portion just surrounding and immediately 

 distal to the hilum, which is the last to be gelatinized. 

 In the elongated form gelatinization begins at the distal 

 margin and proceeds smoothly towards the hilum, which 

 swells suddenly when it is reached. The proximal end 

 is the last part to be gelatinized, but is gelatinized rapidly 

 after the hilum swells. 



