Crystal Cyst Formation in Parenchymatous Tissue . 175 
conditions remains unknown. In a normal raphid cell we do not find such 
plasma concentrations as we found in the young cyst cells, and usually only 
one central vacuole filled with mucilage is developed where the raphid 
colony is gradually formed. 
3 . The Formation of the Crystal Colonies . 
In Anthurium the wall of the polyhedric crystals and that of each 
raphid crystal serves as a plasma wall, and is in all probability of hemi- 
cellulose. This can be easily tested on sections treated for some time with 
a ferric ammonium sulphate solution, by which the crystals are dissolved. 
In normal cells the presence of the cellulose wall around the crystal 
colonies probably means that it serves as an enlargement of the inside 
surface of the cell, an enlargement which has obvious physiological 
significance. On account of the separation of the crystal complex from the 
living part of the protoplast, the surface of the latter becomes larger, thus 
serving as a protection to that part of the cell which has not been affected. 
As a result of* the irregular processes, we observe in the crystal cells an 
accumulation of the crystal substance in the form of raphid colonies near, 
beside, or behind one another. 
The first investigator who studied Anthurium in relation to the 
formation of calcium oxalate in the parenchymatous tissue of the perianth 
leaf was Kohl (21). He made the statement that, owing to the insufficient 
assimilation in the cells of that organ, and also because the conflicting 
influence of salts which are formed later is excluded, primary calcium 
oxalate crystals are only to be found, while the secondary and tertiary are 
dependent on the influence of light, and are consequently formed in other 
parts of the plant. According to Kohl the primary crystals usually in 
raphid form are in tubes, which are for the most part parallel to the main 
axis of the petals. Furthermore, Kohl studied some plants among the 
Aroideae, where primary crystals occur in the form of polyhedric crys¬ 
tals. The author therefore studied both the cells containing the poly¬ 
hedric and those containing monoclinic crystals. 
Inasmuch as Kohl did not study the history of the development of 
the crystal cells in Anthurium , and was content only to make a state¬ 
ment of the crystal types formed in this plant, it was important to make 
a thorough study of it. 
As he states, the petals of the flower are the best available material for 
this purpose, and I decided, therefore, to make a special effort to study 
those parts of the plant very carefully. However, no difference could be 
observed between the form of the calcium oxalate crystals in the petals and 
those of the leaves, stem, and roots. 
N 
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