552 



DATA OF PROPERTIES OF STARCHES OF PARENT- AND HYBRID-STOCKS. 



Comparison of the sulphuric-acid reactions between 

 N. poeticus poetarum and N. princess mary shows : 



The hilum and lamella? are more distinct and a bubble 

 is not so often formed at the hilum. Gelatinization 

 progresses according to two methods which resemble 

 closely the two already described under N. princess 

 mary. The one occurring in a small majority of the 

 grains is that which is seen in a great majority of the 

 grains of N. princess mary, the main points of differ- 

 ence being that the starch included between the fur- 

 rows, the hilum, and the margin is divided by fissures 

 into irregular, concentric groups of lamella?, while the 

 primary starch is separated from the secondary by a 

 fissure. Then it all melts down into a finely granular 

 mass and the rest of the reaction progresses as in N. 

 princess mary. In the second method the main differ- 

 ences noted are, as in the first, the preliminary separation 

 of the primary from the secondary starch and the separa- 

 tion of the secondary starch into concentric groups of 

 lamella? by irregular fissures. The gelatinized grains 

 are more swollen, have thinner capsules, and are more 

 distorted than in N. princess mary. 



Narcissus cresset (Hybrid). 



(Plate 11, fig. 66; Charts D 299 to D 304.) 

 Histologic Properties. 



In form the grains are usually simple and isolated, 

 but there are more aggregates and compound grains than 

 in either parent. The compound grains belong to the 

 three types described under N. poeticus poetarum and 

 the one which occurs most frequently is that in which 

 1, 2, or 3 small grains are adherent to one large grain 

 and all are surrounded by 1 or 2 common secondary 

 lamella?. The aggregates are the same as in both parents. 

 There are but few grains in which a clear distinction 

 may be made between primary and secondary starch 

 formation, in which respect N. cresset is closer to N. 

 princess mary. The grains are as irregular as in N. 

 poeticus poetarum and the irregularities are due to the 

 same causes as in that starch. The conspicuous forms 

 are plano-convex, ovoid, elliptical, and irregularly quad- 

 rilateral. The additional forms are bottle-shaped, trian- 

 gular with curved base, clam-shell-shaped, broad rcniform, 

 and lenticular. The grains are not so varied in form as 

 in N. poeticus poetarum, but are somewhat more varied 

 than in N. princess mary. In form N. cresset shows a 

 somewhat closer relationship to N. poeticus poetarum 

 than to N. princess mary. 



The hilum, when not fissured, is as distinct as in 

 N. princess mary; it is fissured as often as in N. poeticus 

 poetarum, but the fissures have the same character and 

 forms as in N. princess mary. The hilum is sometimes 

 centric, but in the majority of the grains it is eccentric 

 from 0.45 to 0.28, usually 0.35, of the longitudinal axis. 

 In the character and eccentricity of the hilum N. cresset 

 shows a somewhat closer relationship to N. princess mary 

 than to N. poeticus ornatus. 



The lamella are more often moderately distinct than 

 in N. princess mary, but as often as in N. poeticus poe- 

 tarum, and are rather coarse as in the latter starch. In 

 other characters they are the same as those of N. poeticus 

 poetarum. The lamella? counted on the larger grains 

 vary from 8 to 14, usually 12. 



In the character of the lamella? N. cresset shows a 

 somewhat closer relationship to N. poeticus poetarum 

 than to N. princess mary, though there are but few and 

 slight differences to be noted between any of the three 

 starches in this respect. 



In size the grains vary from the smaller which are 

 4 by 4/t, to the larger which are 32 by 44/u, and, rarely, 

 42 by 34/t, in length and breadth. The common sizes are 

 32 by 30/*, 30 by 33ii, and 24 by 28ii. 



In size N. cresset shows a somewhat closer relation- 

 ship to N. princess mary than to N. poeticus poetarum. 



Polariscopic Properties. 



The figure is moderately distinct and not well defined 

 as in N. poeticus poetarum. The lines cross at angles 

 of widely varying size, and are somewhat less often bent 

 and bisected than in N. poeticus poetarum, but more 

 often than in N. princess mary. The figure has the 

 form of a conjugate hyperbola, or a long line bisected at 

 both ends as often as in N. poeticus poetarum. 



The degree of polarization varies from low to high 

 (value 40) as in N. poeticus poetarum, and there is the 

 same amount of variation in a given aspect of the indi- 

 vidual grains. 



With selenite the quadrants are as poorly defined, as 

 unequal in size, as irregular in shape, and the colors are 

 as often impure as in N. poeticus poetarum. 



In the degree of polarization, the character of the 

 figure, and the appearance with selenite N. cresset shows 

 a closer relationship to N. poeticus poetarum than to 

 N. princess mary. 



Iodine Reactions. 



With 0.25 per cent Lugol's solution, the grains all 

 color a light to moderate violet tinged with blue (value 

 45), the same as in N. poeticus poetarum and somewhat 

 more than in N. princess mary, and the color deepens 

 with moderate rapidity until the grains are very deeply 

 colored and have more of a bluish tint. With 0.125 per 

 cent of Lugol's solution they are colored a light violet, 

 as light as in N. poeticus poetarum, and the color deepens 

 with moderate rapidity until they are deeply colored and 

 have a bluish tint. 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, and the solution a deep indigo, 

 the same as in N. poeticus poetarum. If the preparation 

 is boiled for 2 minutes and then treated with an excess 

 nf a 2 per cent Lugol's solution, most of the grain- 

 residues color a light to moderate indigo, and in a few 

 only the capsules are colored ; the capsules all color a 

 red or a reddish violet, and the solution a very deep 

 indigo-blue. Qualitatively and quantitatively the reac- 

 tions with iodine show a closer relationship to N. poeticus 

 poetarum than to N. princess mary. 



Aniline Reactions. 



With gentian violet the grains all color very lightly 

 at once, and in 30 minutes they are light to moderately 

 colored (value 37), the same as in N. princess mary and 

 more than in N. poeticus poetarum. 



With safranin the grains all color very lightly at 

 once, and in 30 minutes they are moderately colored 

 (value 50), the same as in both parents. 



