166 ■ THE BOTANICAL MAGAZINE. tvoi. xxv. ^o:.mi 



J.t «3dBci!j:RBD: Starch Corn. ^ ; - r 



This race, which T got through the kindness of Mr. H. Ko- 

 BAYASHi, is one cultivated in tiie vicinity of the town of Tsuj^a- 

 ma. The "kernels are small in size, and have the property of 

 poppying. The rows of kernels are usually not in straight lines, 

 but more or less twisted. The number of gemini which I 

 could ascertain was generally 9 (Figs. 7, 8, 10, llj. But very 

 often 10 gemini were found (Fig. 9), and so far I could not 

 determine which number is actually prevalent. Such variation 

 of the chromosome number in one and the same plant occurs 

 not so rarely, and the cases of /sexual Hieracia' most resemble 

 the present case (4). The differences of the size and shape of 

 gemini in the metaphase are very remarkable especially in the 

 side view and we find generall3^ two gemini of the same shape 

 and size, so that there are two equal sets of gemini of different 

 sizes and shapes (Figs. 7—11). Among them a long, at the 

 ends more or less thickened, a two jointed dumb-bells shaped, 

 and a massive lenticular or somewhat bent ones are most well 

 distinguished. These differences are clearly observed, however, 

 only at a certain stage, in which the separation of the gem- 

 inial chromosomes takes place. In the case of Figs. 7 and 8, 

 -N^^here 9 gemini are found, there is only one geminus of the 

 form of two jointed dumb-bells, while in the case of Fig. 9 

 v^here we see 10 gemini, 2 of such gemini can be recognized. 

 Such duplication of gemini of each different size and shape, is 

 probably an indication that this race has four sets of. 

 chromosomes, so that the nucleus is tetraploidal, as has 

 been maintained by Tahara in case of Crepis japonica (U) 

 which has twice as manj^ chromosomes as C. teetotum. 



Yellow Starch Corn. 



This race also derived, from the town of Tsu^-ama differ^ 

 from the former only in the color of kernel which is yellow, and 

 the number of gemini appears so far as I could ascertain to be 

 10.: Her^ too {the differences of gemini in size and shape can be 

 recognized. / 



