242 PHYSIOLOGICAL BOTANY. 



Analysis of the Seeds of Phytelephas, Ruiz et Pavon 

 (Elephantusia Willd.),* by BAUMHAUER. He gives his 

 results in the following words : " Our results show dis- 

 tinctly that the perisperm of Phytelephas does not, as 

 Payen states, consist of pure cellulose, contaminated with 

 albumen, two nitrogenous substances, silica, two fatty 

 bodies, and salts ; but that, in addition to these matters, 

 of which the albumen, the two nitrogenous substances, 

 and the two fats are in extremely small quantity, an ad- 

 ditional deposited substance occurs, which differs but very 

 slightly in its per centage composition from cellulose." 



We shall take this opportunity of subjoining the ob- 

 servations which have been made upon Starch during this 

 period. First : 



Description and Figures of some remarkable Forms of 

 Granules of Starch in the Root of Sarsaparilla, and in the 

 Rhizome of Hedycliium Gardnerianum. By G. BISCHOFF, 

 Bot. Zeit., 1844, p. 385. The granules in the former 

 root are very often of a hemispherical or half-ellipsoidal 

 form, moreover they are united by their bases, or there 

 are four or more granules connected together in a regular 

 manner. These various forms are accurately described 

 and figured. The author compares them to the combi- 

 nations presented by many kinds of pollen-granules, they 

 might also be compared with a tricoccous or tetracoccous 

 capsule. Several others might be added. I have met 

 with a form in which a small angular grain occupied the 

 centre, and the other five were so arranged around this, 

 that the whole figure somewhat resembled a regular pen- 

 tapetalous flower. The author remarks that the concentric 

 lamination was not perceptible in daylight, but it was 

 distinctly so by subdued lamp-light. The author also 

 found potato-starch to consist of a combination of two 

 granules. The starch existing in the rhizomes of the 



* One botanist considers that the alteration of the word Phytelephas into 

 Elephantusia would be a very unnecessary change. ^i Phytelephas signifies 

 a vegetable elephant, and siich a zoophyte is something too terrible. 



