PHYTOLITHS OF SOME GYMNOSPERMS
JAIDEEP MAZUMDER *
UGC Centre for Advance Study, Department of Botany, The University of Burdwan, Burdwan-713104, India
RADHANATH MUKHOPADHYAY *
UGC Centre for Advance Study, Department of Botany, The University of Burdwan, Burdwan-713104, India
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Phytoliths extracted from 11 species of conifers and 3 species of cycads showed distinct morphological variations in most species. Diagnostic forms were observed in Cedrus deodara, Podocarpus elongatus, Cycas circinalis and Cycas revoluta. In the present study, phytolith morphology was found to be a useful tool for making distinction between gymnosperms and other plants, as well as between species of cycads and conifers.
Keywords: Phytoliths,, Diagnostic possibility of Phytoliths, Phytoliths in Gymnosperms