70 The Botanical Gazette. (February, 
forming prussic acid and sugar: C,,H,,NO,,+2H,O=C,H,COH 
+HCN + 2(C,H,,0,). Its place in the bitter almonds was 
studied by Johannsen and Guignard; the latter found it in 
special cells in the parenchyma of all parts of the plant; the — 
greatest amount was, however, found in the seeds. 
2. Rhamnase. In seeds of Rhamnus infectorius, it decom- 
poses the glucoside xanthorhamnin into rhamnin and sugar. 
3. Erythrozym. 
III. PROTEO-HYDROLYTIC ENZYMES. Ferments of this 
_ group decompose proteids. 
1. Pepsin isthe most notable of these. Its presence in the 
fluid excreted by Drosera, Nepenthes, Dionaea, Pinguicula, 
Sarracenia, etc. is well known, as well as the theories based 
upon these facts, and also the lately announced Russian ex 
periments.’ A peptonizing ferment was also found by Kru- 
kenberg in A£thalium septicum. . 
2. Tryptic enzymes. In Carica Papaya one of these, the 
papain, has been observed; in the fruit of the pine-apple, 
Chittenden found another enzyme of this group. Inthe seeds 
of the vetch Gorup-Besanez found an enzyme, and also § 
the seeds of flax, hemp, and barley, while Green worked with 
the lupines. How these ferments work ix the plants has no 
yet been satisfactorily investigated. : 
. Rennet. In Galium verum, a substance was long since 
noticed which was able to coagulate milk. Afterwards, a 
enzyme was found in Pinguicula vulgaris by Linné and Dat 
win, in Withania coagulans (seeds) by Lea, in Datura Stra 
monium, Pisum sativum, Lupinus hirsutus, and Ricinus com 
munis, by Green. We may add that rennet has also bet? 
isolated from bacteria by Conn.§ 
GLYCERIDE ENZYMES. ‘Such are able to decompo 
oils or fats. Miintz was the first who paid attention to the 
splitting up of the oils in germinating seeds. In Ricinus 
communis an enzyme was found; it decomposes fats into fatty 
acids and glycerin. In many other seeds of this grouP ae 
ilar enzymes have been noticed. _ Five 
In many fungi and bacteria, enzymes are present. ee 
distinct enzymes were found by Vignal in the Bacillus pier 
tericus vulgatus: diastase, invertase, rennet, and 4 proteony” 
TBot. Gaz. 18: 105. 1893. ste" 
®Science (New York), 1892, 253. Fifth Report of the Storrs Agr. Exp: a 
tion, 1892. 106, : 
