GENUS NARCISSUS. 



683 



Differentiation of Certain Starches of the Genua Narcissus. — Continued. 



Effects of Various Reagents — Continued. 

 Reaction with Ferric Chloride. — Continued. 



N. hvlbocodium var. conspicua: Begins in a few in 3 

 minutes; complete in 1}^ hours. 



N. buWocodium var. monophyllus: Begins in a few in 2 

 minutes; complete in 45 minutes. 



iV. incomparabilis: Begins in a few in 4 minutes; com- 

 plete in 45 minutes. 



N. odorus: Begins in a few in 4 minutes; complete in 45 

 minutes. 



N. poetieus: Begins in a few in 3 minutes; complete in 

 114 hours. 



A^. biflorus: Begins in a few in 3 minutes; complete in 

 an hour. 



N. jonguilla: Begins in a few in 4 minutes; complete in 

 40 minutes. 



N. jonguilla var. rugulosus: Begins in a few in 1 J^ min- 

 utes; complete in 40 minutes. 



N. jonguilla var. campemeUi rugulosus: Begins in a few in 

 4 minutes; complete in 45 minutes. 



N. tazetta var. orientalis: Begins in a few in 3 minutes; 

 complete in an hour. 



Reaction wUh Purdy's Solution. 



N. horgfieldii: Begins in a few in IJ^ minutes; complete 

 in one-fourth in 2 hours; the rest are partially gelat- 

 inized. 



Effects of Various Reaqentb. — Continued. 

 Reaction with Purdy's Solution. — Continued. 



N. maximtts: Begins in a few in 2!^ minutes; a few are 

 completely and others partially gelatinized in 12 

 minutes. 



N. bulbocodium: Begins in a few in 3 minutes; a few gelat- 

 inized and others slightly swollen in 1 "^ hours. 



N. bulbocodium var. conspicua: Begins in a few in 2 

 minutes; a few are partially gelatinized in 10 

 minutes. 



N. bulbocodium var. monophyUua: Begins in a few in 2 

 minutes; complete in one-third in 45 minutes. 



N. incomparabilis: Begins in a few in IJ^ minutes; a 

 few are partially gelatinized in 20 minutes. 



N. odorus: Begins in a few in 15 minutes; slight swelling 

 of a few, a gelatinization of one, in 45 minutes. 



N. poetieus: Begins in a few in 2 minutes; 1 or 2 com- 

 pletely and a few partially gelatinized in an hour. 



N. biflorus: Begins in a few in 15 minutes; no further 

 change. 



N. jonguilla: Begins in a few in 15 minutes; no further 

 change. 



N. jonguilla var. rugulosus: Begins in many in 30 sec- 

 onds; complete in two-thirds in 30 minutes. 



N. jonguilla var. campemeUi rugulosus: Begins in a few 

 in 20 minutes; no further change. 



A'', tazetta var. orientalis: No reaction. 



NOTES ON THE STARCHES OF NARCISSUS. 



The Narcissus starches have in common a certain likeness, but there are many noticeable 

 variations, as will be seen by reference to the plates. While the variations may not be sufficiently 

 marked in any case to point definitely to any given species, they are often of such a character as to 

 justify the conclusion that the specimen of starch did not come from a given plant — in other words, 

 a negative diagnosis. The differences are noted particularly in the character of the fissxiration, the 

 relative regularity or irregularity of the outlines of the grains, and the differences in the character of 

 the lamellae and in the sizes of the grains. Thus, one would not be likely to confound the starches 

 of N. odorus and N. jonguilla with either N. poetieus or N. biflorus; nor would it be likely that the 

 grains of N. jonquilla rugulosis would be mistaken for those of N. jonquilla. The variability in the 

 abundance of nipple-like processes in the different starches is very noticeable, but to what extent 

 these differences are constant is problematical. Such processes are very common among starches 

 of various families. In some of the narcissi starches these processes are conspicuous by their 

 abundance, and in others they may be few, or conspicuous by their absence. In their histological 

 peculiarities there does not appear to be any grouping of these starches such as that given in the 

 table. In the reactions with certain agents the variations are within narrow limits, while with others 

 they are more or less wide. In the degree of polarization, and in the reactions with iodine, the 

 anilines, and heat they differ little. In the temperatures of gelatinization the difference is 5°. In 

 the chemical reactions the starches of narcissi usually show marked resistance, except in the chromic 

 acid reaction, which is moderate. The reaction-curves fall for the most part below the equator, 

 and, on the whole, very much below. 



NOTES ON THE STARCHES OF AMARYLLIDACE^E. (Charts 241 to 253.) 



There is running throughout these starches what appears to be a common type of grain which 

 is more or less modified in the different genera; but the modifications are sometimes quite as marked 

 in the different members of a genus as in the different genera. There are certain variable charac- 

 teristics which are very conspicuous, as, for instance, in the sizes of the grains and in the degree of 

 irregularity of outline, the conspicuousness and position of the hilum, the characters of the fissura- 

 tion, and the relative prevalence of nipple-like processes. These differences are often exhibited very 

 satisfactorily by the photographs. A comparison of the photographs taken by polarized light will 

 show not only species differences, but also generic peculiarities which in some cases are very striking. 



The reaction-curves of the different genera show more or less marked and characteristic dif- 

 ferences, and it will be seen in comparing the curves of the various genera with those of Amaryllis 



