NARCISSUS. 



537 



breadth. The common sizes are 22 by 28/x, 24 by 30/*, 

 and 28 by 22/*. 



Comparison of the histologic characteristics between 

 N. poeticus ornatus and N. gloria mundi shows: 



Compound grains and aggregates are less often seen 

 than in N. gloria mundi. The aggregates have the same 

 appearance and arrangement, and the compound grains 

 belong to three types instead of two. The one not seen 

 in N. gloria mundi consists of a large grain to the side 

 or distal end of which a small grain has become adherent 

 and later both are inclosed in 1 to 3 common secondary 

 lamcllfe. There are more grains in which a primary and 

 a secondary starch-formation may be clearly seen. The 

 grains are as irregular as those of N. gloria mundi and 

 the irregularities are due to the same causes with addition 

 of the following: Eegular radiating elevations and de- 

 pressions of the surface giving a fluted appearance ; and 

 small notches or depressions, one on either side of the 

 proximal apex. Ovoid forms are more common and reni- 

 form grains are seen which are not present in N. gloria 

 mundi. The grains are less broad and rounded and 

 more pointed than in N. gloria mundi. 



The hilum is not very distinct, and is not so fre- 

 quently nor so extensively fissured as in N. gloria mundi, 

 and the most common forms are not the T, Y, and cru- 

 ciate, but a single longitudinal, transverse, or oblique 

 line which may be somewhat branched. It is, as a rule, 

 somewhat more eccentric than in N. gloria mundi. 



The lamella are much more often moderately distinct 

 and somewhat coarser than in N. gloria mundi; other- 

 wise the character and arrangement are the same. 



In size the grains are usually somewhat smaller than 

 in N. gloria mundi, the common sizes being 22 by 24//., 

 24 by 24/*, and 22 by 18/t, or, on the whole, slightly 

 smaller than in N. gloria mundi. 



Polariscopic Properties. 



The figure is usually distinct and moderately well 

 defined though the lines usually become broader and 

 poorly defined near the margin. The lines cross one an- 

 other at acute angles which vary considerably in size. 

 They are often bent and occasionally bisected and some 

 multiple figures are seen. The figure is not always a 

 cross but may have the form of a conjugate hyperbola or 

 of a long line bisected at both ends. 



The degree of polarization varies from low to very 

 high, usually moderate or moderately high (value 60). 

 There is commonly considerable variation in a given 

 aspect of a single grain. 



With selenite the quadrants are usually moderately 

 well defined, unequal in size, and often irregular in shape. 

 In the majority of the grains the colors are not pure and 

 a number have a greenish tinge. 



Comparison of the polariscopic properties between 

 N. poeticus and N. gloria mundi shows: 



The figure is usually more distinct and better defined, 

 and the lines do not cross at angles of such widely vary- 

 ing size, nor are they so often bent or bisected, and only 

 occasionally does the figure take the form of an hyperbola. 



The degree of polarization is (value 50) less than in 

 N. gloria mundi, and there are more of a moderate de- 

 gree and less of a moderately high degree than in those 

 11 



grains. There is somewhat less variation in a given 

 aspect of the same grain. 



With selenite the quadrants are more often well de- 

 fined and less irregular in shape. The colors are not so 

 often pure and there are fewer grains which have a 

 greenish tinge than in N. gloria mundi. 



Iodine Reactions. 



With 0.25 per cent LugoPs solution the grains all 

 color a moderate violet tinged with blue (value 50), 

 which deepens with moderate rapidity until all the grains 

 are very deeply colored. The color has more of a bluish 

 tint as it deepens. With 0.125 per cent Lugol's solution 

 the grains all color a light violet at once and deepen 

 with moderate rapidity until all are deeply colored and 

 have a bluish tint. After heating in water until all the 

 grains are gelatinized and then treated with a 2 per cent 

 Lugol's solution, the gelatinized grains all color a mod- 

 erate or moderately deep indigo-blue, and the solution 

 a deep indigo. If the preparation is boiled for 2 min- 

 utes and then treated with an excess of a 2 per cent 

 Lugol's solution the grain-residues all color a light or 

 light to moderate indigo-blue, the capsules a red or a 

 reddish violet, and the solution a very deep indigo-blue. 



Comparison of the iodine reactions between N. poeti- 

 cus ornatus and iV. gloria mundi shows : 



With 0.25 and 0.125 per cent Lugol's solutions the 

 grains color less than in N. gloria mundi, and when 

 heated until they all are gelatinized and also boiled for 

 2 minutes and then treated with a 2 per cent Lugol's 

 solution the reactions are the same as in N. gloria mundi. 



Aniline Reactions. 



With gentian violet the grains all color very lightly at 

 once, and in 30 minutes they are light to moderately 

 colored (value 40). The grains are all equally colored 

 and there is no variation in depth in the different parts 

 of the individual grains. 



With safranin the grains all color, very lightly at once, 

 and in 30 minutes they are moderately colored (value 40) 

 to the same depth as with gentian violet. 



Comparison of the aniline reactions between N. poeti- 

 cus ornatus and N. gloria mundi shows : 



With gentian violet iV. poeticus ornatus stains very 

 much less (value 30), and with safranin it colors some- 

 what more (value 45) than N. gloria mundi. 



Temperature Reactions. 



The temperature of gelatinization of the majority 

 of the grains is 71° to 72.8° C, and of all is 74° to 

 75° C, mean 74.5° C. 



Comparison of the temperature reactions between N. 

 poeticus ornatus and N. gloria mundi shows : 



The temperature of gelatinization of N. poeticus 

 ornatus is higher by about 3° C. than that of N. gloria 

 mundi. 



Effects of Various Reagents. 



The reaction with chloral hydrate begins in rare 

 grains in 2 minutes. Complete gelatinization occurs in 

 less than 0.5 per cent of the entire number of grains and 

 total starch in 5 minutes ; in about 3 per cent of the grains 

 and 8 per cent of the total starch in 15 minutes ; in about 

 12 ppr cent of the grains and 27 per centof the total starch 

 in 30 minutes; in about 19 per cent of the grains and 



