NARCISSUS. 



563 



97 per cent of the total starch in 60 minutes. (Charts 

 D 313 and D 314.) 



The hilum is distinct and a bubble is never formed 

 there. The lamellae are distinct at first, but later are 

 obscured. Gelatinization begins at the hilum and in the 

 great majority of grains progresses according to but one 

 method. The portion immediately surrounding the 

 hilum is divided into many rather coarse granules and 

 the starch surrounding this is either divided by fine 

 striae or loses its lamellated appearance and becomes more 

 refractive, especially at a number of scattered discrete 

 points. The hilum swells and the more resistant portion 

 of this latter material forms a thick homogeneous-look- 

 ing band at the margin, while in the interior of the grain 

 are scattered the granules formed from the deposit 

 around the hilum. The marginal band grows progres- 

 sively thinner and more nearly transparent until it is all 

 gelatinized and only the thin capsule remains. The 

 granules remain for a long time in the interior of the 

 grain, but finally they too are gelatinized. In a few 

 grains the starch around the hilum is split into three 

 01 four pieces which remain clumped together in the 

 middle of the grain and are apparently never completely 

 gelatinized. The gelatinized grains are much swollen, 

 have rather thick capsules, and are somewhat distorted. 



Comparison of the pyrogallic-acid reactions between 

 JV. abscissiis and 2V. albicans shows : 



The hilum and lamellae are as distinct as in 2V. albi- 

 cans, and the lamellar structure sometimes persists after 

 gelatinization is far advanced. Gelatiuization follows 

 two methods of procedure instead of but one. The 

 majority of the grains follows closely the method de- 

 scribed for all the grains of 2V. albicans, the main differ- 

 ence noted being that the starch immediately surrounding 

 the hilum is always broken into two or three pieces and 

 the pieces later subdivided, so that they are smaller than 

 in 2V. albicans. The striae which mark the rest of the 

 grain are not so fine and are seen in most of the grains, 

 and the marginal band is divided into an outer striated 

 and an inner spicular border. In the second method 

 two furrows or actual fissures extend transversely from 

 cither side of the hilum to the margin and the material 

 included between them and the hilum and the mar- 

 gin is divided by rather fine striae and then becomes 

 finely granular in appearance, except a narrow band at 

 the margin, and is slowly gelatinized. The more resistant 

 portion at the proximal end, in connection with the 

 before-mentioned band around the rest of the margin, 

 forms a complete marginal band which gradually is gela- 

 tinized, the proximal end being the last to be gelatinized. 

 The gelatinized grains are as much swollen, have as thin 

 capsules, and are more distorted than in IV. albicans. 



The reaction with nitric acid begins immediately. 

 Complete gelatinization occurs in about 6 per cent of 

 the entire number of grains and 33 per cent of the 

 total starch in 5 minutes; in about 39 per cent of the 

 grains and 78 per cent of the total starch in 15 minutes; 

 in about 46 per cent of the grains and 82 per cent of the 

 total starch in 30 minutes; and in about 57 per cent 

 of the grains and 86 per cent of the total starch in 45 

 minutes; little if any further advance in 60 minutes. 

 ( Chart D 315.) 



The hilum is distinct and a bubble is not formed 

 there. The lamella? are distinct at first but later are 



obscured. Gelatinization begins at the hilum and in" 

 the great majority of the grains progresses according to 

 but one method. The material immediately surrounding 

 the hilum, which probably represents the primary starch 

 formation, is divided into three or four fragments, which 

 are later subdivided into much smaller particles. The 

 portion surrounding this primary starch, which probably 

 represents a secondary starch formation, is divided by 

 very fine striae which are often somewhat indistinct. As 

 the grain swells the resistant part of the secondary starch 

 is pushed to the margin, where it forms a thick, indis- 

 tinctly striated and uon-lamellated band, around the 

 inner border of which are scattered the subdivided par- 

 cicles of the primary starch. The marginal band grows 

 progressively thinner and more nearly transparent, until 

 only the thin capsule remains. The particles of the pri- 

 mary starch remain for a long time, but gradually grow 

 smaller and more refractive in appearance and then 

 disappear. In some grains the primary starch is not 

 split apart or is split into only two pieces, which, remain 

 near one another while the secondary starch is gelatinized. 

 Such material is very resistant and remains ungelatinized 

 and apparently entirely unaffected after an hour's treat- 

 ment by the reagent. The gelatinized grains are much 

 swollen and have rather thin capsules. They are con- 

 siderably distorted and do not retain much of the form 

 of the untreated grain. 



Comparison of the nitric-acid reactions between 2V. 

 abscissus and 2V. albicans shows : 



The hilum and lamellae are as distinct as in 2V. 

 albicans, but the lamellar structure remains visible 

 longer. Gelatinization follows two methods instead of 

 but one, and the majority of the grains follows closely 

 chat described for all the grains of 2V. albicans, the main 

 difference noted being that the primary starch is always 

 broken up into particles and the particles are much 

 smaller, and the stria?, which divide the secondary starcii 

 are much less fine and are very distinct, while the mar- 

 ginal band is divided into two parts an outer granular 

 layer and an inner spicular layer. In the second method 

 2 furrows or fissures extend transversely or obliquely 

 t'rom the hilum to the margin; the material between 

 them and the hilum and the margin is divided first by 

 striae and then by irregular fissures and is gelatinized 

 Defore the more resistant material at the proximal end 

 and sides nearby, which forms a rather coarsely striated 

 band at the proximal margin, which is slowly gelatinized. 

 The gelatinized grains are much swollen and the capsules 

 are as thin as in 2V. albicans. They are even more dis- 

 torted and retain less resemblance to the form of the 

 untreated grain. 



The reaction with sulphuric acid begins immediately. 

 Complete gelatinization occurs in about 95 per cent of 

 the entire number of grains and in more than 99 per 

 cent of the total starch in 2 minutes, and in more than 

 99 per cent of the grains and total starch in 5 minutes. 

 (Chart D 316.) 



The hilum becomes distinct, attended by the forma- 

 tion of a bubble in a great majority of the grains. The 

 lamellae are usually very distinct. Gelatinization begins 

 at the hilum and in all but very rare grains progresses 

 according to one method. The material immediately 

 surrounding the hilum is first divided into many large 

 coarse granules and later subdivided into a number of 



