GENUS NARCISSUS. 



673 



Chart No. 234. 



P I GV I P 

 S 



VL VL 80° 



I GV S 



CI CA PA FC P S CI PA CA 



Curve of Reaction-Intensities of Starch of 

 Narcissus odorus. 



With selenite the quadrants are very poorly defined in most grains, and are irregular in shape 

 and unequal in size. The colors are sometimes pure. 



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

 0.125 per cent solution they tint lightly and the color deepens slowly. The color is somewhat deeper 

 than that of the grains of N. horsfieldii. After heating in water until the grains are completely 

 gelatinized, the solution and grains color deeply, some grains more than others. The grains which do 

 not stain so deeply take on a violet color when a slight excess of iodine is added. After boiling for 2 

 minutes the solution stains more deeply, but the grain-residues less. Most of the capsules retain some 

 blue-reacting starch and all are colored a pinkish-violet. 



Staining Reactions. — With gentian violet the grains 

 begin to stain very lightly at once and are fairly stained 

 after 30 minutes. The depth of color is the same as that 

 of the grains of N. horsfieldii. 



With safranin the grains begin to stain very lightly in 

 2 minutes and in 30 minutes are fairly stained. The depth 

 of color is the same as that of the grains of N. horsfieldii. 



Temperature Reaction. — The temperature of gelatin- 

 ization is 74° to 75° C, mean 74.5°. 



Effects of Various Reagents. — With chloral hydrate- 

 iodine some grains react in 2J^ minutes and the reaction is 

 general in 33^ minutes. All are gelatinized, with the excep- 

 tion of a few near the edges of the cover-slip, in 2 hours. 

 There was no further change. The reaction is qualitatively 

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



With chromic acid some of the grains react in 30 

 seconds, the reaction is general in a minute, and com- 

 plete in 5 minutes. It is qualitatively the same as that 

 of the grains of N. horsfieldii. 



There is a reaction with pyrogallic acid in many grains in 2 minutes. A few are gelatinized in 

 30 seconds, and at this time all the grains are more or less affected. About three-fourths are fully 

 gelatinized in 45 minutes and the others are in all stages of reaction. The reaction is qualitatively 

 the same as that of the grains of N. horsfi£ldii. 



There is a reaction with ferric chloride of a few grains in 4 minutes. A few are completely 

 gelatinized and many others show some reaction in 33^ minutes. All the grains are completely 

 gelatinized in 45 minutes. The reaction is qualitatively the same as that of A'', horsfieldii. 



With Purdy's solution there is a sHght reaction in some grains in 15 minutes. One was fully 

 gelatinized and a few others showed a slight enlargement of the hilum and fine strise radiating 

 throughout the grain in 45 minutes. There was no further change. The reaction is qualitatively 

 the same as that of N. horsfieldii. 



STARCH OF NARCISSUS POETICUS. (Plate 60, figa. 359 and 360. Chart 235.) 



Histological Characteristics. — In fortn the grains are usually simple. There are a few compound 

 grains and aggregates. Grains with pressure facets are rare. The surface of the grains is usually 

 very irregular, owing to unequal development, especially to nipple-like processes. The conspicuous 

 forms are the ovoid, oval, and elliptical. There are also spherical, triangular, irregularly pyri- 

 form, rod-like, lenticular, and very irregular forms. The grains if broad are about half as thick as 

 they are wide, while the narrow forms are of the same thickness as width. 



The hilum is a distinct round or lenticular spot and nearly always fissiu-ed. It is usually eccentric 

 from two-fifths to one-third of the longitudinal axis. There are often double or multiple hila, which 

 are usually traversed by a long, irregular fissure having many side branches at each hilum. In the 

 case of the single hilum the fissures may be large or small, simple, transverse, diagonal, or longitudinal, 

 clean-cut or ragged, or the combination may be 3-armed in the form of a cross, or irregularly stellate. 



The lamellce are not very distinct, but usually can be seen. Near the hilum, where they are seen 

 with less difficulty, they appear as coarse, regular, continuous rings which do not follow the out- 

 line of the margin. As far as could be determined, there are about 5 to 6 on the larger grains. 



The grains vary in size from 3 to 44ju. The common size is 28/1. 



