A REVIEW OF ANATOMICAL AND PHYTOLITH STUDIES OF CYSTOLITHS: SILICA-CALCIUM PHYTOLITHS IN DICOTYLEDONOUS ANGIOSPERMS

FERNÁNDEZ HONAINE, MARIANA; BORRELLI, NATALIA L.; MARTINEZ TOSTO, ANA CECILIA

BOTANICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2023 vol. 202 p. 149 - 165

0024-4074

Cystoliths are phytoliths of silica and calcium carbonate and are produced in a rather limitedgroup of dicotyledonous angiosperms plants. Different anatomical, and more recentlyphytolith, studies have described them in different families. In the present review, we analyzeand integrate both types of research in order to compile the information about their formationand composition, their distribution in vascular plants, their relation with anatomy andsystematics, and their potential roles in plant tissues. We also include some analyses inspecimens where the family cystolith information was not precise. According to our review,cystoliths can be consider as Si-Ca phytoliths. They are well described in eight families;while in the other fourteen families the information is not conclusive. The production ofcystoliths is limited to dicotyledons, but there´s no clear phylogenetic relation between thefamilies producers. Cystolith accumulation is predominantly in epidermis of leaves and/or inparenchymatic rays of woods. Diverse roles related to photosynthesis enhancement and asCa reservoirs have been assigned to cystoliths. The knowledge about cystolith productionamong vascular plants is relevant for anatomical, systematic and ecological researches, butalso for biogeochemical studies due to their importance as a source of Ca and Si.