NARCISSUS. 



525 



The hilum, if not fissured, is as distinct as in JV. 

 poelicus ornalus; but it is usually fissured, not so fre- 

 quently as in JV. poeticus poetarum or N. pactions herrick, 

 but as extensively and as deeply as in N. poelicus poe- 

 tarutn. The fissures have the following forms: (1) 

 Cruciate-, Y-, and T-shaped; (2) a straight line longi- 

 tudinally or horizontally placed; (3) an irregularly stel- 

 late group of fissures. The hilurn is sometimes centric, 

 but in the majority of the grains is eccentric from 0.42 

 to 0.3, usually 0.38, of the longitudinal axis. In the 

 character and eccentricity of the hilum JV. poeticus dante 

 shows a closer relationship to X. poeticus poetarum than 

 to JV. poeticus ornatus. 



JV. poeticus dante shows as close a relationship to 

 JV. poeticus poetarum as does JV. poeticus herrick to JV. 

 poeticus ornalus. 



The lamella are in character, arrangement, and dis- 

 tinctness the same as those described under JV. poeticus 

 poetarum. The number counted on some of the larger 

 grains varies from 8 to 14, usually 10. In the character 

 and arrangement of the lamella JV. poeticus dante shows 

 a closer relationship to JV. poeticus poetarum than to 

 JV. poeticus ornatus. 



JV. poeticus dante shows as close a relationship to 

 JV. poeticus poetarum as JV. poeticus herrick does to 

 JV. poeticus ornatus. 



In size the grains vary from the smaller which are 5 

 by 5/t, to the larger broad forms which are 38 by 50/i, 

 in length and breadth. The common sizes are 32 by 32^ 

 and 32 by 40/*. 



In size JV. poeticus dante shows a closer relationship 

 to JV. poeticus poetarum than to JV. poeticus ornatus. 



JV. poeticus dante is larger than JV. herrick and there- 

 fore not so close to JV. poeticus poetarum in size. 



Polariscopic Properties. 



The figure is usually distinct and is rarely well 

 defined as in X. poeticus poetarum. The lines bisect 

 one another at angles of varying size and are apt to be 

 bisected and bent as in X. poeticus poetarum. The 

 figure is more often a cross than in JV. poeticus poetarum, 

 but the other figures described under that starch are 

 also seen. 



The degree of polarization varies from low to very 

 high (value 47), somewhat lower than in JV. poeticus 

 ornalus, much higher than in JV. poeticus poetarum, and 

 the same as in the other hybrid. There is the same 

 amount of variation in the same aspect of a given grain 

 as in JV. poeticus ornatus. 



With selenite as in JV. poeticus poetarum the quad- 

 rants are not well defined and are irregular in size and 

 shape. The colors are usually not pure and there are 

 very few grains which show a greenish tinge. 



In the character of the figure and the appearances 

 with selenite JV. poeticus dante shows a closer relation- 

 ship to JV. poeticus poetarum, and in the degree of 

 polarization to JV. poeticus ornatus. X. poeticus dante 

 and JV. poeticus herrick show the same degree of close 

 relationship to JV. poeticus poetarum in the polarization, 

 figure, and the reactions with selenite, but to JV. poeticus 

 ornatus in the degree of polarization. 

 Iodine Reactions. 



With 0.25 per cent Lugol's solution the grains all 

 color a moderate violet tinged with blue (value 45), the 



same as in X . poetit us poetarum and the oilier hybrid, 

 and the color deepens with m rapidity until it is 



very deep, becoming bluer in tint at the same 



With 0.125 per cent Lugi ition the grains all color 



a light violet, the same as in N. poeticus poetarum. 

 After heating in water until all the grains are completely 

 gelatinized and then adding a 2 per cent Lugol's solution 

 the gelatinized grains all color a moderate indigo-blue 

 and the solution a deep indigo-blue as in X. poelicus 

 poetarum. If the preparation is boiled for 2 minutes 

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

 solution most of the grain-residues color a light indigo- 

 blue, and only the capsules of some are colored. The 

 capsules color a red or a reddish violet, and the solution 

 a very deep indigo-blue as in JV. poeticus poetarum. 

 Qualitatively and quantitatively the iodine reactions of 

 JV. poeticus dante are closer to those of X. poeticus poe- 

 tarum than to those of JV. poelicus ornatus. There are 

 no marked differences between the reactions of the two 



hybrids. 



Aniline Reactions. 



With gentian violet the grains all color lightly at 

 once, and in half an hour they are lightly to moderately 

 colored (value 35), the same as in JV. poeticus poetarum. 



With safranin the grains color lightly at once, and 

 in half an hour they are moderately colored (value 50) 

 the same as in JV. poeticus poetarum. 



In the reaction with aniline stains JV. poeticus dante 

 shows a much closer relationship to JV. poeticus poetarum 

 than to JV. poeticus ornatus. 



JV. poeticus dante stains more than does X. poeticus 

 herrick and is closer to JV. poeticus poetarum. 



Temperature Reactions. 

 The temperature of gelatinization of the majority 

 of the grains is 71.2° to 73.1° C, and of all is 74° to 76° 

 C, mean 75° C. The temperature of gelatinization of 

 JV. poelicus herrick shows a much closer relationship 

 to JV. poeticus ornalus than to JV. poeticus poetarum. 

 The temperature of gelatinization of JV. poeticus dante is 

 lower than that of JV. poeticus herrick and is practically 

 mid-intermediate between JV. poeticus ornatus and JV. 

 poeticus poetarum. 



Effects of Various Reagents. 



The reaction with chloral hydrate begins in a few 

 grains in 1 minute. Complete gelatinization occurs in 

 about 4 per cent of the entire number of grains and 7 per 

 cent of the total starch in 5 minutes; in about 6 per cent 

 of the grains and 10 per cent of the total starch in 15 

 minutes; in about 7 per cent of the grains and 12 per 

 cent of the total starch in 30 minutes; in about 11 per 

 cent of the grains and 16 per cent of the total starch in 

 45 minutes; little if any further advance in 60 minutes. 

 (Chart D 259.) 



There are a few grains in which a bubble is formed 

 at the hilum as in JV. poeticus herrick, and fewer than in 

 either parent. The lamella? are at first indistinct and 

 later become moderately distinct as in both parents and 

 JV. poeticus herrick. The marginal band of starch, which 

 is the first part to show an increased refractivity, is as 

 narrow and refractive as in X. poeticus poetarum, and 

 narrower and less refractive than in either JV. poeticus 

 ornatus or JV. poelicus herrich. Gelatinization begins 



