The structure of plant slimes

Abstract

Several slimes have been investigated with the electron microscope. With one exception (Linum) their cellulose has the same microfibrillar form that has been found in cell walls. These microfibrils are separately suspended in the polyuronic acids as an amorphous ground substance; they are increasingly dispersed as the swelling proceeds. Short particles occur in linseed (Linum) slime. These show a marked tendency to become attached together in chains when the ground substance is dissolved away. This is a “true” slime which does not give the usual chemical tests for cellulose; it is therefore not clear if these short particles should be classed as cellulose; the previous supposition that mixed cellulosepolyuronide molecules exist is not confirmed by the electron microscopic observations.