Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-06-20
PLANT CRYSTALS.
A Paper Read Before the Eemphis
HicFOscOpicaI Society st iGs Eeet-
Ing iE April Last.

It is a generally accepted doctrine tina
throughout Natures laboratory crystal
lizatjon occurs only where vital actor
has ceased. The microscope shows u
that this is not an invariable rule, how
ever. Careful observation abundantly
proves the fact that nearly all of thu
higher plants, as 5 part of their norma
life-prOcess, deposit crystals in one form
or other throughout their structures
The term rsphides is generally ap
! piled to these minute crystalline bodies
! from the fact that the form most com,
monty found is needle-shaped. These
! the true raphides-3re easily found il
| almost any of the herbaceOus order o.
plants, il almost any part Of their struct,
ure. Stem, leaf, petal, root, pollen
! they may be looked for in any or all o.
these positions. Strip of a small pOr.
! ton OF the cutter cuticle of a banana
| Tind, for example; examined by polar.
lied light, it is found to be thickly
studded with oval cells containing loose.
| ly packed bundles OF aciculaT crystals,
showing aIl the colors Of the rainbow,
A slight pressure will readily break the
cell-wslls and permit the crystals to dis
| tribute themselves over the field Of view.
Each will then be found TO contain
from twenty to thirty OF these fine
crystalline needles. In size they are
very variable, ranging al the way from
about the One-hundredth to the one
hundred and fortieth part of an inch in
length. The second species of plant
crystal is styled sphoeTaphides, and in
form is rosette, or star-shaped. These
are also contained in cells, which are far
larger in proportion to their contents
than the cells in which lie the true
raphides. Not only do they in form de-
part from the commoner type, but they
also differ in chemical constituents.
The difference iE form is clearly not due
to q mere accident or freak OF nature.
Instead Of being transparent, these crys-
tails are of a dull, Opaque white, and
seem not to pOlsrize light at all. Speci-
mems Of this form msy be abundsntly
found in most; Of the cachius family. The
leaf OF the common prickly pair is full
of these crystals; q section placed under
the microscope appears to be packed
with sphmrsphides throughout the en-
tire mass. Indeed, they are go abundant
IN some Of the members OF this family
as to render the leaves literally almost
as brittle and fragile as glass. The third
form OF plant crystal il now known as
the crystal prism.n Types OF this form
are found IN nearly ali bulbOus plants.
IN SIZE this is the largest of
the three different forms, some
times measuringsO much as one-fortieth
Of an inch (about). In shape
they are generally prismatic, although
some specimens seem perfectly square
and straight throughout. They ALWAYS
occure singly, except where accident
seems TO have grouped together two or
three in the shape of star. Under the
they show very well, but
with none Of that display Of color which
the acicular form. Most
bOtanists state that they are contained
IN cells like cotton plant crystals; but 10
me, they seem merely disposed among
the intercellular spaces, having no special
cells OF their own, Certainly, if there is
l.ceu II Is not plain, well. marked one
rs in the case Of the previously de-
scrlDed forms; but each crystal seems
10 "lie around loose, D." just wherever suits
It. Having thus briefly described the |
typical forms of plant crystal, il NAV be |
1f some interest to inquire into their na-
.ure and uses. Their chemical constit- |
lents are mainly the various salts Of
ime; the carbonate, phosphate and 1
.ulphate, being the most frequent. 1t is
dearly out OF the question to consider
heir presence as an accidental circum-
Itance or confined to any one order Of
plants or sny particular stage Of their
development. They must be considered
IS forming part of the regular
Of plant-life, and must,
therefore,, have some definite
Dffice to fulfill. What this
g seems undecided. My own idea is
hat these crystals are simply the ledU-
ngs of the plant. 1t extracts from the
arth large quantities Of various salts; it
ppropristes Whist it needs, and the use
ess remainder (by some mysterious pro-
ess Of that wonderful chemistry which |
We 80 little understand) is Withdrawn !