HIPPEASTRUM. 



415 



The size of the grains varies from the smaller which 

 are 3 by 3/*, to the larger broad forms which are 52 by 

 46//., and the larger elongated forms which are 48 by 38/x 

 or, rarely, 70 by 50/* in length and breadth. The com- 

 mon forms are 26 by 26/i, and 28 by 24/*. In size H. 

 ossultan-pyrrha more closely resembles H. ossultan than 

 II. pyrrha. 



POLARISCOPIC PitOrEKTIES. 



The figure varies from centric to very eccentric as in 

 the parents, the mean is slightly more eccentric than in 

 II. ossultan, but slightly less than in H. pyrrha, and 

 nearer to the latter. The lines vary from fine to mod- 

 erately coarse with broadening at the margin as in both 

 parents ; and they usually intersect obliquely though they 

 more frequently cross at right angles than in the parents. 

 The arrangement of a median line with bisected ends is 

 as frequent as in //. ossultan, but the last two occur a 

 little more frequently than in H. pyrrha. The lines 

 are more frequently straight, but bending and bisection 

 are somewhat more frequent than in the parents, but a 

 little closer to H. ossultan. Double figures are moder- 

 ately frequent, as in H. ossultan, more numerous than in 

 //. pyrrha, and less numerous than in //. ossultan. 



The degree of polarization is high to very high (value 

 87). The same range of variation in the individual 

 grains as well as in the same aspect of a given grain 

 occurs as in the parents; but a larger proportion of 

 grains with very high polarization are present and hence 

 the mean is higher than in the parents, but nearer to 

 H. pyrrha. 



With selenite the quadrants are generally well de- 

 fined, but the definition is somewhat less sharp in more 

 grains than in the parents. The quadrants are gener- 

 ally unequal in size and regular in shape, though less 

 frequently in the parents. The colors are generally 

 pure, about the same degree of purity as in the parents. 



In the degree of polarization, H. ossultan-pyrrha is 

 closer to H. pyrrha than to H. ossultan, but in the charac- 

 ter of the figure and in the appearance with selenite it is 

 closer to H. ossultan than to H. pyrrha. A character 

 appearing in a parent is often accentuated in the hybrid. 



Iodine Reactions. 



With 0.25 per cent Lugol's solution the grains color a 

 moderately light to moderately deep blue-violet, the mean 

 is moderate in depth (value 50), a little deeper in color 

 and the same tint as in H. ossultan, not quite so deep 

 in color nor so bluish in tint as in H. pyrrha. The color 

 deepens to moderately deep to deep, a little deeper than 

 H. ossultan but not quite so deep as H. pyrrha. With 

 0.125 per cent Lugol's solution the grains immediately 

 color a light to moderate blue-violet, a little deeper than 

 in H. ossultan, the same as in H. pyrrha; the grains 

 quickly deepen from moderate to deep, a little deeper 

 than in H. ossultan, about the same as in H. pyrrha. 

 After heating in water until the grains are gelatinized 

 and then adding a 2 per cent Lugol's solution, the gela- 

 tinized grains color a very light to deep blue, rarely with 

 a reddish tint, the mean is moderate, about the same but 

 much less reddish in tint than in H. ossultan, a little 

 lighter and less reddish than in H. pyrrha. The solu- 

 tion colors a deep indigo-blue, about the same as in both 

 parents. If the preparation is boiled for 2 minutes and 

 then treated with an excess of 2 per cent Lugol's solution, 



the grain-residues color a light to deep blue, often tinged 

 with red, the mean is moderate, not quite so reddish but 

 of the same depth as in II. ossultan, deeper and more 

 reddish than in II. pyrrha. Most of the capsules color a 

 light to deep amethyst, with a few moderate old-rose, the 

 mean is moderately light to moderate, a little lighter 

 and a little less reddish than in II. ossultan; but both 

 deeper and more reddish than in //. pyrrha. Qualitatively 

 and quantitatively the reactions with iodine show a closer 

 resemblance to II. ossultan than to II. pyrrha, but both 

 parents and hybrid resemble one another closely. 



Aniline Reactions. 



With gentian violet the grains stain lightly at once, 

 a little deeper than in the parents, but closer to H. ossul- 

 tan, and in half an hour they stain moderate to moder- 

 ately deep (value 53), a little deeper than in the parents, 

 but nearer to H. ossultan. 



With safranin the grains immediately stain very 

 lightly, a little lighter than in //. ossultan but about 

 the same as in II. pyrrha; and in half an hour they stain 

 moderate to moderately deep (value 58), a little deeper 

 than in both parents, but nearer to H. ossultan. 



The reactions with aniline dyes show a very close 

 resemblance to H. ossultan than to H. pyrrha, both of 

 the parents and the hybrid are very close to one another. 



Temperature Reactions. 



The majority of the grains are gelatinized at 70° 

 to 72° C, and of all but very rare grains at 72° to 73°, 

 mean 72.5° C. 



The temperature of gelatinization is closer to H. 

 pyrrha than to H. ossultan. 



Effects of Various Reagents. 



The reaction with chloral hydrate begins in a few 

 grains in 1 minute. Complete gelatinization occurs in 

 about 3 per cent of the entire number of grains* and 4 per 

 cent of the total starch in 5 minutes ; in about 24 per cent 

 of the grains and 26 per cent of the total starch in 15 

 minutes; in about 34 per cent of the grains and 36 per 

 cent of the total starch in 30 minutes; in about 35 per 

 cent of the grains and 40 per cent of the total starch in 

 45 minutes; in about 36 per cent of the grains and 43 per 

 cent of the total starch in 60 minutes. (Chart D 43.) 



One or more bubbles, more frequently the former, 

 appear at the hilum; the bubble expands to greater size 

 in more grains and an enlarged refractive fissure is more 

 frequent than in the parents, but nearer to H. pyrrha 

 than to //. ossultan. The lamellre do not become more 

 distinct ; the entire grain becomes more refractive and a 

 marginal border of slightly greater ref ractivity is formed, 

 as noted for the parents. The methods of gelatinization 

 are similar to those observed in the parents. The pitted 

 appearance of the starch beneath the capsule is observed 

 over a larger area of the grain, as well as in a larger num- 

 ber of grains, than in the parents, but a little closer to 

 H. ossultan. The fissures formed during the process are 

 less prominent, and the refractive granules are less 

 frequently observed than in the parents, but closer to 

 H. ossultan. 



The grains are swollen and slightly to considerably 

 distorted, but less grains with considerable distortion 

 than in the parents. 



