GENERA MUSCARI AND BRODIiEA. 



589 



Differentiation of Certain Starches 

 Effects of Various Reagents. — Continued. 

 Reaction with Pyrogallic Add. 



M. botryoides: Begins in all in 25 seconds; complete in 



1}4 minutes. 

 M. paradoxum: Begins in all in 75 seconds; complete in 



18 minutes. 

 M. micranlhum: Begins in mo.st of the grains in 15 sec- 

 onds; complete in 7 minutes. 

 M. conicum: Begins in all in 00 seconds; complete in 35 



minutes. 

 M. commutatum: Begins in all in 30 seconds; complete 



in 25 minutes. 

 M. racemosum: Begins in all in 45 seconds; complete In 



30 minutes. 

 M. com-pactum: Begins in all in 30 seconds; complete in 



5 minutes. 

 M. comosum: Begins in all in 30 seconds; complete in 6 



minutes. 



Reaction with Ferric Chloride. 



M. botryoides: Begins in a few in 60 seconds; complete 

 in 40 minutes. 



M. paradoxum: Begins in a few in 60 seconds; complete 

 in 45 minutes. 



M. micranthum: Begins in a few in 30 seconds; complete 

 in 15 minutes. 



M. conicum: Begins in a few in 45 seconds; complete 

 in 56 minutes. 



M. commutatum: Begins in a few in 60 seconds; com- 

 plete in 33 minutes. 



of the Genua Muscari. — Continued. 



Effects of Various Reagents. — Continued. 

 Reaction with Ferric Chloride. — Continued. 



M. racemosum: Begins in a few in 30 seconds; complete 



in 25 minutes. 

 M. compactum: Begins in a few in 30 seconds; complete 



in 35 minutes. 

 M. comosum: Begins in a few in IJ^ minutes; complete 



in 35 minutes. 



Reaction with Purdy's Solution. 

 M. botryoides: Begins in most in 2 minutes; three-fourths 



are partially gelatinized in 25 minutes. 

 M. paradoxum: Begins in most in 1 minute; one-fifth 



are partially gelatinized in 10 minutes. 

 M. micranlhum: Begins in some in 15 seconds; half are 



nearly completely gelatinized in 10 minutes. 

 M. conicum: Begins in some in 45 seconds; half are 



partially and half completely gelatinized in 40 



minutes. 

 M. commutatum: Begins in most in 60 seconds; three- 

 fourths are partially and one-fifth completely 



gelatinized in 60 minutes. 

 M. racemosum: Begins in all of the grains in 60 seconds; 



half are completely gelatinized in 30 minutes. 

 M. compactum: Begins in most of the grains in 30 seconds; 



half partially, half completely gelatinized in 90 



minutes. 

 M. comosum: Begins in most of the grains in 45 seconds; 



two-thirds are partially gelatinized, one-third 



being nearly completely gelatinized in 25 minutes. 



NOTES ON THE STARCHES OF MUSCARI. 



These starches exhibit certain differences of diagnostic value in their gross histological charac- 

 ters, chiefly in the mean size, hilum, fissuration, and lamellae. The size of the grains of M. micran- 

 thum, M. commutatum, and M. racemosum is, on the whole, less than in the other Muscari starches. 

 Differences in fissuration between M. botryoides, M. micranthum, M. conicum, and M. racemosum 

 as compared with other starches of this genus are quite striking; also in the lamellation, as regards 

 both character and number. There are variations in reactions, ranging from practical identity (as in 

 the iodine reactions) to well-marked differences (as in the reactions with the chemical reagents gener- 

 ally). The differences in the temperatures of gelatinization range within 68° and 74.75°, or 6.75°. 

 Each starch can be readily distinguished from the others by means of variations in the reactions. 



GENUS BRODl/EA. 



Brodiosa is a genus of Western American (chiefly Californian) cormous plants which comprise 

 about 30 species, including certain species heretofore classified as Hookera, Milla, or Triteleia. 

 They have been divided by Purdy into four groups, based essentially upon peculiarities of the corms. 

 In Group I the corm is flattened and fibrous coated, resembling that of crocus. Belonging to this 

 group the following starches were studied: B. peduncularis Wats., B. ixoides var. splendens Hort., 

 B. Candida Baker, B. lactea Wats. {Hesperoscordum lacteum, H. hyadnthinum) , and B. laxa Wats. 

 The corm of Group II has a reddish, hairy coating, is not flattened, and bears many strong offsets. 

 As representatives of this group there were examined: B. cocdnea (Brevoortia ida-maia Wood, B. 

 coccinea, Wats.), B. grandijlora Smith {Hookera coronaria Salisb.), B. californica Lindl. {Hookera 

 calif ornica Greene), B. purdyi Eastw., and B. stellaris Wats. Group III has long, bulbiferous corms 

 and is represented in this research by B. capitata Benth. and B. congesta Smith. Group IV is char- 

 acterized by bulbs like those of Group I, by dense umbels, and by the tube and the segments being 

 of about the same length. No representative of this group was examined. 



STARCH OF BRODI^A PEDUNCULARIS. (Plate 45, figs. 265 and 266. Chart 171.) 



Histological Characteristics. — In form the grains are simple, with occasional compound grains 

 consisting of two components. The simple grains are isolated, with the exception of a few aggre- 

 gates among the smaller grains, and a few among the large grains which have small grains attached, 

 and a few clumps. The surface of the grains is usually irregular, owing chiefly to nipple-like processes 



