MICROSCOPIC OBJECTS. 26 



Fig. 51. Starch from Wheat (Triticum vulgare), x 350. 



Starch may be considered one of the most universal of 

 all the distinct vegetable substances, occurring, as it does, in 

 the form of minute transparent granules in all flowering 

 plants. This may be easily proved by taking a quantity of 

 any herbaceous leaves, stems, &c., bruising them in a mortar 

 until they are beaten into a pulp, then adding more water 

 and straining through flannel; and after the sediment has 

 settled at the bottom of the basin, the presence of the starch 

 may be detected by the application of iodine (see also fig. 53) . 



This drawing represents the starch of Wheat, which may 

 be taken as an example of the lenticular or lens -like form of 

 starch. 



This starch is best mounted in liquid. 



Fig. 52. Starch from the Oat (Avena sativa), x 350. 



The chief peculiarity of this starch is, that the small gra- 

 nules or grains are grouped together in round or oval masses. 

 These masses, when broken, have somewhat the appearance 

 of the Rice-starch represented in fig. 53. By this conglo- 

 merated appearance, the starch of the Oat may be distin- 

 guished from the other common starches found in the differ- 

 ent grains, such as those of wheat, maize, barley, &c. 



The starch may be mounted in liquid. 



