GENUS HYACINTHTJ8. 



575 



Differentiation of Certain Starches of the Genus Hyadnthus. — Continued. 



Histological Chakactemistics. — Continued. 

 Size. 



H. orieyitalis var. alba siiperbissima: From 3 to 34/i, com- 

 monly 20^. 



//. orienlalis var. albulus (white): From 3 to 46/i, com- 

 monly 22^1. 



//. orienlalis var. albulas (Italian) : From 4 to 32/<, com- 

 monly 20/1. 



PoLARiscopic Properties. 



Figure. 



II. orienlalis var. alba superbissima: Eccentric, except in 

 the ovoid forms, fairly clear-cut lines broad, usu- 

 ally straight. Double and multiple figures may be 

 observed. 



//. orienlalis var. albulus (white): Essentially the same 

 as in H. orienlalis var. alba superbissima, but the 

 centric figure is less frequent, the lines more often 

 bent, and the double and multiple figures not so 

 distinct. 



//. orienlalis var. albulus (Italian) : Same as in H. orienlalis 

 var. albulus (white). 



Degree of PolarizoMon. 



H. orienlalis var. alba superbissima: High. 



H. orienlalis var. albulus (wliite) : High, the same as in //. 

 orienlalis var. alba superbissima, but with larger pro- 

 portion of grains in which polarization is very iugh. 



//. orienlalis var. albulus (Italian) : High, about the same 

 as in //. orienlalis var. alba superbissima. 



Polarization with Selenite — Quadrants and Colors. 



II. orienlalis var. alba superbissima: Quadrants fairly well 

 defined, usually somewhat irregular in shape and 

 unequal in size. Grenerally pure. 



//. orienlalis var. albulus (white) : Quadrants fairly well 

 defined, not quite so clear-cut and rather more ir- 

 regular than in H. orienlalis var. alba superbissima. 

 Generally pure. 



H. orienlalis var. albulus (Italian) : Quadrants essentially 

 the same as in H. orienlalis var. albulus (white). 

 Generally pure. 



Iodine Reactions. 

 Intensily and Color. 



H. orienlalis var. alba superbissima: Fairly deep; blue- 

 violet. 



H. orienlalis var. albulus (white) : Fairly deep, about the 

 same as in //. orienlalis var. alba superbissima; blue- 

 violet. 



//. orienlalis var. albulus (ItaUan): Fairly deep, lighter 

 and a little more reddish than H. orienlalis var. 

 alba superbissima; blue-violet. 



Staining Reactions. 



With Gentian Violet. 



II. orienlalis var. alba superbissima: Light. 



//. orienlalis var. albulus (white): Light, slight ly deeper 



than in //. orienlalis var. alba superbissima. 

 II. orienlalis var. albulus (Italian) : Light, about the same 



as in H. orienlalis var. alba superbissima. 



Staining Reactions. — Ck>ntinued. 



With Safranin. 



II. orienlalis var. alba superbissima: Light. 



H. orienlalis var albulus (white) : Light, sUgktly deeper 



than in //. orienlalis var. alba superbissima. 

 II. orienlalis var. albulus (ItaUan) : Light, about the same 



as in //. orienlalis var. alba superbissima. 



Temperatdre of Gelatinization. 



H. orienlalis var. alba superbissima: 66 to 68° C.,mean 67°. 

 H. orienlalis var. albulus (white) : 68 to 70° C, mean 69°. 

 H. orienlalis var. albulus (Italian): 69 to 70° C, mean 

 69.5°. 



Eppects of Various Reagents. 

 Reaction with Chloral Hydrate-Iodine. 



H. orienlalis var. alba superbissima: Begins in 30 seconds; 



complete in nearly all in 5 minutes. 

 H. orienlalis var. albulus (white): Begins immediately; 



complete in nearly all in 5 minutes. 

 H. orienlalis var. albulus (Italian): Begins immediately; 



complete in the majority in 6 minutes, and nearly 



all in 15 minutes. 



Reaction with Chromic Acid. 



H. orienlalis var. alba superbissima: Begins at once; com- 

 plete in nearly all in 1)^ minutes, and in all in 2 

 minutes. 



H. orienlalis var. albulus (white): Begins at once; com- 

 plete in nearly all in 13^ minutes, and in all in 2J^ 

 minutes. 



//. orienlalis var. albulus (Italian) : Begins at once; com- 

 plete in the majority in 2 minutes, and in all in 3 

 minutes. 



Reaction with Pyrogallic Acid. 



H. orienlalis var. alba superbissima: Begins at once; com- 

 plete in nearly all in 30 seconds, and in all in 60 

 seconds. 



H. orienlalis var. albulus (white): Begins at once; com- 

 plete in a majority in 30 seconds, and in all in 45 

 seconds. 



//. orienlalis var. albulus (Itahan) : Begins at once; com- 

 plete in many in 30 seconds, and in all in 60 seconds. 



Reaction with Ferric Chloride. 



H. orienlalis var. alba superbissima: Begins at once; com- 

 plete in nearly all in 10 minutes. 



H. orienlalis var. albulus (white) : Begins at once; com- 

 plete in nearly all in 8 minutes. 



H. orienlalis var. albulus (Italian): Begins at once; com- 

 plete in nearly all in 13 minutes. 



Reaction with Purdy's Solution. 



H. orienlalis var. alba superbissima: Begins at once; 

 nearly complete in all in 30 minutes; incomplete 

 in 1 hour. 



H. orienlalis var. albulus (white) : Begins at once; com- 

 plete or nearly complete in three-fourths in 30 

 minutes; incomplete in 1 hour. 



//. orienlalis var. albulus (Italian) : Begins at once; com- 

 plete or nearly complete in two-thirds in 30 min- 

 utes; incomplete in I hour. 



NOTES ON THE STARCHES OF HYACINTHUS. 



The starches examined were obtained from varieties or forms of the common hyacinth {H. 

 orientalis Linn.), and are so alike in their histological properties that it would be very difficult or 

 impossibk; to make a diagnosis upon this basis. They also closely agree in their reactions, yet vary 

 sufficiently and individually to make possible the differentiation of one from another. 



