Assessment and quantiñcation of phytoliths present in Chloris elata Desv., Chloris gayana Kunth, Tripogon spicatus (Ness) Ekman (Chloridoideae)

Abstract

The research characterizes and quantiñes the phytoliths in Chloris elata Desv., Chloris gayana Kunth, and Tripogon spicatus (Ness) Ekman (Chloridoideae). Phytolith extraction from root, stalk, leaf and panicle/spike was carried out by acid dissolution (HNO3 and HZSO4); after counting and identification, saddle (87.1% without similarity to other morphologies) and bilobate (6.8%) morphotypes were predominant in the three species. The measurements for these morphotypes and others considered representative indicate no significant changes between the species. In the histological sectioning (leaf and stalk), it was found that the saddle type shows more organized and uniform patterns in the leaf than the stalk; the distances between the saddle was higher in the stalk (average 22.8 um) and lower in the leaf (average 11.3 um).The species showed õ“C values between -14.6%o and 14.9%o (C4 photosynthetic pathway plants). The silica biomineralization percentage was lower for C. elata (1.87%) and higher for C. gayana (5.12%).