632 



STARCHES OF AMARYLLIDACEiB. 



Differentiation of Certain Starches of 

 Histological Characteristics. — Continued. 

 Lamella: — General Characleristics and Number. 



H. viltatum: Distinct, fairly coarse, continuous or dis- 

 continuous, irregular. 10 to 12 on larger grains. 



H. equestre: Fairly distinct, rather coarse, irregular, con- 

 tinuous or (iiscontinuous. 6 to 8 on larger grains. 



H. atdicum var. rc^nistum: Very distinct, rather coarse, 

 irregular, continuous or discontinuous. 10 to 12 

 on larger grains. 



Sue. 



H. pitlatum: From 5 to 50/i, commonly 24/i. 

 H. equestre: From 4 to 35>i, commonly 20^. 

 H. aulicum var. rofcttstum; From 6 to 40/x, commonly 22/j. 



PoLARiscopic Properties. 

 Figure. 



H. vittatum: Usually eccentric, distinct, usually not clear- 

 cut, irregular. 



H. equestre: Essentially the same as in H. vittatum. 



H. aulicum var. robustum: Essentially the same as in H. 

 vittatum. 



Degree of Polarization. 



//. vittatum: High. 

 H. equestre: Fairly high. 



H. aulicum: var. robustum: High, but not so high as in 

 H. vittatum. 



Polarization wUh Selenile — Quadrants and Colors. 



H. vittatum: Quadrants usually not well-defined, ir- 

 regular in shape, imequal in size. Colors usually 

 pure. 



H. equestre: Quadrants the same asinH. vittatum. Colors 

 not quite pure. 



H. aulicum var. robustum: Quadrants the same as in H. 

 vittatum. Colors not quite pure. 



Iodine Reactions. 



Intensity and Color. 



H. vittatum: Very deep; indigo. 



H. equestre: Very deep, slightly deeper than in H. vUlaium; 



indigo. 

 H. aulicum var. robustum: Very deep, less than in H. 



vittatum; indigo. 



Staining Reactions. 



With Gentian Violet. 



H. vittatum: Fairly deep. 



H. equestre: Fairly deep, less than in H. vittatum. 

 H. aulicum var. robustum: Fairly deep, more than in H. 

 vittatum. 



the Genus Hippeastrum. — Continued. 



Staining Reactions. — Continued. 



With Safranin. 



H. vittatum: Fairly deep. 



H. equestre: Fairly deep, less than in //. vittatum. 

 H. aulicum var. robustum: Fairly deep, deeper than in 

 H. viltatum. 



Temperature op Gelatinization. 



H. vittatum: 71 to 73° C, mean 72°. 



H. equestre: 72 to 73° C, mean 72.5°. 



H. aulicum var. robustum: 71.5 to 72° C, mean 71.75°. 



Effects of Various Reagents. 

 Reaction with Chloral Ilydrale-Iodine. 



H. vittatum: Begins in all in 1}^ minutes; complete in 

 two-thirds in 15 minutes and in nearly all in 60 

 minutes. 



H. equestre: Begins in most in a minute ; complete in four- 

 filths in 45 minutes, but incomplete in 60 minutes. 



H. aulicum var. robustum: Begins in most in IJ^ minutes; 

 complete in almost all in 50 minutes. 



Reaction with Chromic Acid. 



H. vittatum: Begins in all in a minute; complete in 6 



minutes. 

 H. equestre: Begins in all in 45 seconds; complete in 6 



minutes. 

 H. aulicum var. robustum: Begins in all in 1}4 minutes; 



complete in 5}^ minutes. 



Reaction with Pyrogallic Acid. 



H. viltatum: Begins in all in a minute; complete in almost 



all in 30 minutes. 

 H. equestre: Begins in all in 45 seconds; complete in all 



in 33 minutes. 

 H. aulicum var. robustum: Begins in all in a minute; 



complete in all in 17 minutes. 



Reaction with Ferric Chloride. 



H. vittatum: Begins in a few in a minute; complete in all 



in 55 minutes. 

 H. equestre: Begins in a few in a minute; complete in all 



in 48 minutes. 

 H. aulicum var. robustum: Begins in a few in 1 J^ minutes; 



complete in all in 37 minutes. 



Reaction urith Purdy's Solution. 



H. vittatum: Begins in most in 2 minutes; complete in 



one-third in 13^ hours. 

 H. equestre: Begins in most 'ra\]4, minutes; complete in 



half in 1% hours. 

 H. aulicum var. robustum: Begins in most in 2 minutes; 



complete in half in an hour. 



NOTES ON THE STARCHES OF HIPPEASTRUM. 



The three starches of Hippeastrum do not exhibit any marked gross histological characteristics 

 which might be useful in diagnosis excepting possibly in the rareness of secondary depositions and 

 in nipple-like processes in H. equestre. On the other hand, the reaction curves, while having striking 

 general resemblances, are far from being identical, and are in fact sufficiently different to permit of 

 the distinction of one starch from another. In all the reactions there are definite differences, but the 

 least marked are in the temperatures of gelatinization (there being less than 1° variation), and in 

 the reactions with chloral hydrate-iodine, ferric chloride, and Purdy's solution. On the whole, the 

 grains are moderately resistant to heat and chemical reagents. The high responsivity to iodine 

 and the fairly high reaction with the aniline dyes are particularly noticeable. 



