DAIKUBARA ; 



stances proved to be fat. (I) In one case, however, viz., in the 

 epidermis of the midribs of the leaves of Osmunthus Aquifolium, 

 they resembled impure proteosomes, and were changed and even 

 partly dissolved by alcohol of 20 per cent. 



The frequent occurrence of active albumen in different parts 

 of the flower may have an important physiological relation to the 

 formation of seeds. However, the seeds and fruits investigated 

 showed active albumen only in the epidermis in most cases. 



A phenomenon which resembles, to a certain extent, the 

 formation of proteosomes is plasmolysis. Th. Bokorny has al- 

 ready observed (Pringsheims Jahrb. Vol. 20) that by the action of 

 caffeine both, normal and anomalous plasmolysis, can take place, 

 whereby the tonoplast can become divided into two or more 

 parts keeping their globular shape for some time. According to 

 his theory, these phenomena have to be explained in the same 

 way as the formation of proteosomes, viz., as being caused by the 

 separation of a certain amount of water of imbibition. It was 

 therefore a matter of particular interest to me to observe such 

 phenomena myself in a number of cases : as, for instance, in the 

 petals of Ipomcea hedracea, iV the leaves of Camellia thcifcra, and 

 the leaf-veins of Pyrus Toringo. 



The two kinds of globular formation may, however, be easily 



(1) I would here supplement what I have said (loc. cit.) upon the use of alcohol 

 and ether to distinguish proteosomes from fat globules. In order to preserve the 

 globular shape of the former, treatment with i p.m. NH ; or with alcohol of 20 o/ 0 is 

 necessary, before the mixture of alcohol and ether is applied. In certain cases the 

 ammonia has to be diluted to J p.m. because of the gradual solvent action of more 

 concentrated solution. 



The caffeine proteosomes are, in exceptional cases, not solidified into bright 

 globules, by the action of dilute ammonia, but are partially or, in some cases, {Acer 

 palmatum) wholly dissolved. This is evidently due to the presence of a large 

 amount of impurities (tannin especially) in them. The petals of Paonia yield 

 caffeine proteosomes, which are turned by ammonia into hollow globules without any 

 brightness. There exist evidently many differences between the active albumen of 

 some species, and that of others, e.g., many isomers and polymers are possible. 



(2) Accompanied by comparatively few proteosmes, and only observed in the 

 lower colourless part, not in the upper coloured part of the petals, after treatment 

 with caffeine. 



Anomalous plasmolysis by 0.5 0/0 caffeine solution can also be sometimes ob- 

 served in Spirogyra, after it has been cultivated, for some time, in a 1-5 per mille 

 nutrient fluid. 



