670 



STARCHES OF AMARYLLIDACE^. 



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

 with 0.125 per cent solution they color fairly and the color deepens slowly. They are more deeply 

 colored than the grains of A'^. horsfieldii. After heating in water until the grains are completely 

 gelatinized, the solution colors fairly and the grains very deeply on the addition of iodine. After 

 boiling for 2 minutes the solution colors much more deeply and the grain-residues much less. The 

 capsules are colored a red-violet on the addition of an excess of iodine and most of them still contain 

 some blue-reacting starch. 



Staining Reactions. — With gentian violet the grains begin to stain very lightly in 2 minutes 

 and in 30 minutes are hghtly stained. The reaction is less than that of the grains of N. horsfieldii. 



With safranin the grains begin to stain very lightly at once and in 30 minutes are lightly stained. 

 The reaction is less than that of the grains of N. horsfieldii. 



Temperature Reaction. — The temperature of gelatinization is 72° to 73.5° C, mean 72.75°. 



Effects of Various Reagents. — With chloral hydrate-iodine the reaction begins in 3 minutes. 

 About one-third of the grains are gelatinized in 30 minutes and half in 45 minutes. The reaction is 

 qualitatively the same as that of the grains of N. horsfieldii. 



The reaction with chromic add begins in a minute and is over in 6 minutes. It is qualitatively 

 the same as that of the grains of iV. horsfieldii. 



Reaction with pyrogallic acid begins in 2 minutes. About one-fourth of the grains are gelatinized 

 in 7 minutes, three-fourths in 10 minutes, and all in 20 minutes. The reaction is qualitatively the 

 same as that of the grains of N. horsfieldii. 



Reaction with ferric chloride begins in a few grains in 3 minutes, about half are gelatinized in 

 25 minutes, and all in 1}^ hours. The reaction is qualitatively the same as that of the grains of 

 N. horsfieldii. 



The reaction with Purdy's solution begins very slightly in 2 minutes and only a few are even 

 partially gelatinized in 10 minutes. The reaction is qualitatively the same as that of the grains 

 of N. horsfieldii. 



STARCH OF NARCISSUS BULBOCODIUM VAR. MONOPHYLLUS. (Plate 59, figs. 353 and 354. Chart 232.) 



Histological Characteristics. — In form the grains are usually simple. There are rarely compound 

 grains and aggregates, and pressure facets are seldom observed. The surface of the grains tends 

 to be somewhat irregular, owing chiefly to nodular or 

 nipple-like additions which vary in size. In some grains 

 deposits in the form of two or three lamellae entirely sur- 

 rovmd the grain. The conspicuous forms are the ovoid, 

 and oval to elliptical, the distal end usually being the 

 narrower. There are also irregularly quadrilateral forms 

 with rounded angles, spherical forms, triangular forms 

 with rounded angles, and various irregular shapes. The 

 quadrilateral and triangular and other broad forms are 

 from one-half to three-fourths as thick as they are broad; 

 the other forms, as a whole, are of about the same thick- 

 ness as width. 



The hilum is a small, not very distinct, round or len- 

 ticular spot, usually eccentric from one-third to two-fifths 

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

 the median line, and generally fissured. The fissure may 

 be small, and there may be a single transverse or diag- 

 onal line; or there is an irregularly stellate arrangement 

 of fissures. There are sometimes double hila. 



The lameUce are not very distinct, but when they can 

 be seen they appear as rather coarse, regular, continuous rings which tend to follow the outline of 

 the margin of the grain. There are about 5 to 7 on the larger grains. 



The grains vary in size from 3 to 42/i. The common size is 22/*. 



Polariscopic Properties. — The figure is eccentric, distinct, and often clear-cut. In many grains 

 one or more of the lines become broader and less well defined in some part of their length. Some- 

 times they are somewhat bent or otherwise distorted. 



Chart No. 232. 



Curve o£ Reaction-Intensities of Starch of Narcissus 

 bulbocodium var. tnonophyllus. 



