322 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [MAY 
the fibrovascular bundles and the surrounding tissues. It was only 
in Viscum album and Euonymus japonicus that the green cells of 
the leaves contained some starch. More recently Lidforss$ in 
examining the leaves of several winter-green plants, comprising 
herbs, shrubs, and trees, came to the conclusion that all green 
cells of plants are entirely free from starch during the winter 
months. 
It seems, therefore, according to the observations of the 
above investigators, that almost all of the evergreen plants of 
northern and middle Europe lose the starch from the green cells 
of the leaves during winter. To know whether a similar state 
of things holds true in Japan, and to throw some light on the 
relation of leaf-starch to photosynthesis, I undertook the present 
investigation at the suggestion of Professor M. Miyoshi, te whom 
my sincere thanks are due for kind suggestions and helpful 
criticisms. The work was carried on in the Botanical Labora — 
tory of Tokyo Imperial University, from August, 1898, until i 
June of the following year. ee 
There are various methods of testing for starch, all epic J 
iodine as the principal reagent. After some trials I determined 
_ to use Meyer’s iodine-chloral method.’ The leaves to be ox me - 
§ ni ee : 
When alcoholic material was used, the sections were 
_ ately placed on the slide for examination. 
_ Among the climatic factors the temperat 
tant part in the process of photosynthesis, 
be superfluous, before entering upon the account of my oe 
_-SLiprorss, B., Zur Physiologie und Biologie der Wintergriimen _— : 
Centralb. 68: 33. 1896, es 
* MEyeR, A., Das chlorophyllkorn. *Leipzig, 1883- 
'7 Prepared by mixing equal quantities of chloral-hydrate an 
little iodine and potassium-iodide were added. 
ure plays an impor 
and it would “a 
researche> 
d water, 10 which 
