870 



STARCHES OF RANUNCULACEiE. 



Differentiation of Certain Starches of the Genus Ranunculus. 



HisTOLOOicAL Characteristics. 

 Conspicuous Forms. 



R. hulbosus: Usually simple, a few compound grains and 

 many aggregates, some pressure facets, surface 

 somewhat irregular. Ovoid, oval, pyriform, ellip- 

 tical, round, dome-shaped to hemispherical. 



R. ficaria: Usually simple, some compound grains, no ag- 

 gregates, no pressure facets, surface more or less 

 irregular. Ovoid, round or nearly round, oval, 

 elliptical, pyriform, triangular with rounded angles. 



Hilum — Form, Number, arid Position. 



R. biilbosus: Form quite distinct, comparatively large, 

 round or elliptical or lenticular, rarely fissured, fis- 

 sures narrow and short. Position eccentric com- 

 monly about 0.2 of the longitudinal axis. 



R. ficaria: Form fairly distinct, usually small, round, often 

 double, often fissured, fis.sure slight and single. Po- 

 sition eccentric commonly about 0.2 of the longitu- 

 dinal axis. 



iMmeUce — General Characteristics and Number. 



R. buWosus: Not visible. 



R. ficaria: Not very distinct, comparatively coarse, 



regular rings or segments of rings. Number not 



determined. 



Size. 

 R. bulbosus: From 2 to 15/i, commonly 5n. 

 R. ficaria: From 5 to 30^, commonly 18;*. 



PoLARiscopic Properties. 

 Figure. 



R. bulbosus: Eccentric, not always visible, but when seen 

 the lines are usually clear-cut and of same size 

 throughout and straight. 



R. ficaria: Eccentric, distinct, lines clear-cut to diffused. 



Degree of Polarization. 

 R. bulbosus: Low. 

 R. fixxiria: Fairly high. 



Polarization with Selenite — Quadrants and Colors. 



R. bulbosus: Quadrants in most cases not well defined, 

 usually quite regular, but unequal in size. Colors 

 not pure. 



PoLAKiscopic Ppoperties. — Continued. 



Polarization iirith Selenite — Qxmdranis and Colors. — Cont'd . 



R. fi/xtria: Quadrants in most cases not well defined, irreg- 

 ular in shape, and unequal in size. Colors not pure. 



Iodine Reactions. 



Intensity and Color. 

 R. bulbosus: Deep; blue-violet. 

 R. ficaria: Deep, deeper than in R. bulbosus; blue-violet. 



Staining Reactions. 

 With Gentian Violet. 

 R. bulbosus: Light. 

 R. ficaria: Fairly deep, deeper than in R. bulbosus. 



With Safranin. 

 R. bulbosus: Light. 

 R. ficaria: Fairly deep, deeper than in R. bulbosus. 



Temperature of Gelatinization. 



R. bulbosus: 55 to 57° C, mean 56°. 

 R. ficaria: 63 to 65° C, mean 64°. 



Effects of Various Reagents. 

 Reaction with Chloral Hydrale-Iodine. 

 R. bulbosus: Begins in 30 seconds; complete in 9 min- 

 utes. 

 R. fi.caria: Begins in 30 to 60 seconds; complete in 30 min- 

 utes. 



Reaction with Chromic Acid. 

 R. bulbosus: Begins at once; complete in a very few sec- 

 onds. 

 R. ficaria: Begins at once; complete in 20 seconds. 



Reaction with Pyrogallic Acid. 

 R. hdbosus: Begins at once; complete in 1 minute. 

 R. ficaria: Begins at once; complete in 3 minutes. 



Reaction with Ferric Chloride. 

 R. bulbosus: Begins at once; complete in 30 seconds. 

 R.fi/Mria: Begins in 20 seconds; complete in 3 minutes. 



Reaction with Purdy's Sohiiion. 

 R. bulbosus: Begins at once; complete in 30 seconds. 

 R. ficaria: Begins at once; complete in 25 seconds. 



NOTES ON THE STARCHES OF RANUNCULUS. 



These starches, while belonging to the same type, differ distinctly in the degree of regularity 

 of outline, in the characters of the hilum and fissuration, in the lamellae, and in the common size. 

 The differences in the reactions are marked, except in the case of iodine, chromic acid, and Purdy's 

 solution. R. bulbosus exhibits the lower degree of polarization and lower reactions with the anilines; 

 a markedly lower temperature of gelatinization; and a higher sensitivity to chloral hydrate-iodine, 

 chromic acid, pjTogallic acid, and ferric chloride. 



GENUS ADONIS. 



This genus contains only six species, all natives of temperate regions of Europe and Asia. The 

 starch of A. amurensis Kegel and Radde, a native of Japan, was studied as a type of the genus. 



STARCH OF ADONIS AMURENSLS. (Plate 96, figs. 575 and 576. Chart 383.) 

 Histological Characteristics. — Inform the grains are simple, no compounds observed; there are 

 many aggregates, and very many grains have one or more pressure facets, which, however, do not 

 show the sharpness of line and angle commonly found in faceted grains of other genera. The sur- 

 face of the grains is usually irregular, owing, chiefly to the pressure facets. The conspicuous forms 

 are ovoid, round or nearly round, oval, dome-shaped to hemispherical, wedge-shaped, triangular with 

 rounded comers, polygonal with rounded angles, and various indefinite forms. 



