376 



consists of the pollenine of Bucholz and John,* and is varia- 

 ble in quantity for each plant. From the pollen ofPinus picea 

 I obtained about 80 per cent. Herepath obtained from 



Lilium bulbiferum, 43-0 12 



candidum, 36-936 



Cactus speciosissiraus, .... 46'575t 



" The pollenine obtained from Pinus picea scarcely differs 

 in appearance from the original pollen ; it is insoluble in every 

 substance which I have hitherto tried ; while the pollen of the 

 typha, according to Braconnot, dissolves without decomposi- 

 tion in concentrated acids ; and those oi Lilium bulbiferum and 

 candidum have the same property, according to Herepath. 

 The only pollen having this property, which I examined, was 

 that of the holly. I have never been able to detect the slightest 

 trace of starch in pollen, which agrees perfectly with the views 

 of Raspail. Sugar, on the contrary, appears to be always pre- 

 sent. On the presence of malic acid, which is stated to have 

 been found in the pollen of the date by Fourcroy, and in that 

 of the cedar by Macaire Prinsep, I cannot decide ; at least I 

 have not been able to detect its presence in any of the pollens 

 which I have examined. Sulphur does not appear to be a con- 

 stant constituent, although I have found it present as sulphate 

 in most of the pollens which I examined, which agrees with 

 the analysis of the pollen of the cedar by Macaire Prinsep. J 

 Phosphorus, on the other hand, appears to play an important 

 part in the function of pollens ; I am inclined to think it 

 exists, not only as phosphoric acid, but also as phosphorus in 

 combination with organic matter, in some pollens. The quan- 

 tity of phosphoric acid yielded by the ash of most pollens ex- 

 ceeds 40 per cent. 



* Annal. des Sciences d'Obs., torn. iii. p. 338. 1830. 



t Quarterly Journal of the Chemical Society, No. i. p. 1. 



J Bibliotheque Universelle, 1830, 1. 5. 



