GENUS NARCISSUS. 



667 



Chart No. 229. 



IGV T 

 S 



PS CI PA I 

 ~ PC PS 



somewhat in the form of a gelatinous projection in most cases. This process may spread into 

 the grain to a certain point, and then the rest of the grain becomes divided by fissures. The pieces 

 suddenly part and gelatinize separately. The gelatinized grains are large and irregular, much 

 sacculated and folded, and bear little resemblance to the original grain. 



Reaction with Purdy's solution begins in some grains in 1 to 13^ minutes. Almost all are 

 affected and a few are completely gelatinized after an hour, and one-fourth gelatinized in 2 hours. 

 There was no further change. The reaction is quaUtatively the same as that with pyrogallic acid. 



STARCH OF NARCISSUS MAXIMUS. (Plate 58, figs. 347 and 348. Chart 229.) 



Histological Characteristics. — Inform the grains are usually simple. There are a few compounds 

 and aggregates. Occasionally grains are observed having poorly defined pressure facets. The 

 surface of the grains is often very irregular, owing chiefly to unequal development in the form of 

 rounded protuberances or nipple-like projections. Sometimes there are additions which completely 

 surround the original grain. The conspicuous forms are the ovoid, which is usually slender and 

 pointed at the distal end, oval to elliptical, lenticular, and nearly spherical. There are also quad- 

 rilateral, triangular, pyriform, and various irregular forms. The quadrilateral and triangular forms 

 and related forms are about half as thick as they are 

 wide, but the rounded forms are about as thick as broad. 



The hilum is a small, not very distinct, round spot, 

 usually eccentric about one-third to one-fourth of the 

 longitudinal axis of the grain, and in or to one side of the 

 median line. It is frequently fissured, and the fissure is 

 usually small, clean-cut, transverse, straight or with a 

 double curve; rarely there are two Unes forming a cross. 



The lamellae are not very distinct and are often invis- 

 ible. When they can be seen they appear as rather fine, 

 fairly regular, continuous rings which tend to follow the 

 outline of the margin. There are from 8 to 12 on the 

 larger grains. 



The grains vary in size from 4 to 42ju. The common 

 size is 26/1. 



Polariscopic Properties. — The figure is eccentric, dis- 

 tinct, and usually not clear-cut, as one or more of the 

 lines are often less clearly defined in some part of their 

 length. The lines are often bent, otherwise distorted, 

 and sometimes bisected. 



The degree of polarization is high. It varies greatly in different grains and somewhat in 

 different aspects of the same grain, and very much in different parts of the same aspect of a grain. 

 It is the same as that of the grains of iV. horsfi^ldii. 



With selenite the quadrants are usually not well defined, are very irregular in shape, and un- 

 equal in size. The colors are sometimes pure. 



Iodine Reactions. — With 0.25 per cent Lugol's solution the grains color a deep blue-violet, 

 some more than others; with 0.125 per cent solution the grains color fairly, slightly more than the 

 grains of N. horsfieldii. After heating in water until the grains are completely gelatinized, the solu- 

 tion colors lightly and the grains very deeply on the addition of iodine. After boiling for 2 minutes 

 the solution colors very deeply, but the grain-residues fairly. The capsules color a red-violet on the 

 addition of an excess of iodine, and most of them contain some blue-reacting starch. 



Staining Reactions. — With gentian violet the grains begin to stain very lightly in a minute, 

 and in 30 minutes they are lightly stained. The color is much less than that of A'', horsfieldii. 



With safranin the grains begin to stain very lightly at once, and in 30 minutes they are fairly 

 stained. The color is slightly less than that of N. horsfieldii. 



Temperature Reaction. — The temperature of gelatinization is 74.5° to 76° C, mean 75.25°. 



Effects of Various Reagents. — With chloral hydrate-4odine the reaction begins in a few grains in 

 30 seconds and is general in 3 minutes. About one-fifth are gelatinized in 30 minutes, one-third in 

 45 minutes, one-half in an hour, and two-thirds in IJ^ hours. The reaction is qualitatively the 

 same as that of the grains of N. horsfieldii. 



Curve of Reaction-Intensities of Starch of 

 Narcissus maximus. 



