植矽體

植矽體（英語：phytolith），是存在於多種高等植物細胞或細胞間隙中的顯微結構小體，其主要成分為二氧化矽，中文曾譯植矽石、植物矽酸體等，現在學界統一稱之為植矽體。植矽體的大小和形狀與植物種類與部位有關，其形態具有鑑定意義，特別是禾本科植物，最好的情況可以鑑定到種。植物中還常見一些草酸鈣質的顆粒，被稱為植鈣體。

蘆葦中扇型植矽體的顯微形象，可見風化的凹坑

功能

植矽體有多種功能。一些植矽體可能和植物的結構和支撐功能有關，對於許多農作物來說，可以防止倒伏；在某些植物中，植矽體可能也具有一定的防禦病蟲害及食草動物的作用。

應用

考古學

植矽體容易保存在考古地層與遺物中，因此常用來鑑定史前栽培植物。

古生物學

植矽體在化石遺存中很豐富，在晚泥盆紀地層中就有發現，可用來追溯古生物環境與植被變遷。^[1]

地球化學

最近的研究還發現，碳元素也可以在許多植矽體中積聚。^[2]

註釋

1. Carter, J.A. Late Devonian, Permian and Triassic phytoliths from Antarctica. Micropaleontology. 1999, 45 (1): 56–61 [2008-04-22]. doi:10.2307/1486202.
2. Plantstones could help lock away carbon （頁面存檔備份，存於互聯網檔案館），Nowak, Rachel, New Scientist Magazine issue 2637, January 5 2008, Accessed January 2008]

參考

• （中文）派潘諾 多洛雷斯著，《植矽石分析》北京：北京大學出版社，1994.3
• Piperno, D. R. 1988. Phytolith analysis: an archaeological and geological perspective.
• Thorn, V. C. 2004. An annotated bibliography of phytolith analysis and atlas of selected New Zealand subantarctic and subalphine phytoliths.
• Meunier, J. D. 2001. Phytoliths: applications in earth sciences and human history.
• Kealhofer, L. 1998. Opal phytoliths in Southeast Asian flora.
• Rapp, G. R. 1992. Phytolith systematics: emerging issues.
• Ciochon, R. L., Piperno, D. R. and Thompson, R. G. 1990. Opal phytoliths found on the teeth of the extinct ape Gigantopithecus blacki: Implications for paleodietary studies. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 87: 8120-8124.
• Twiss, P. C., Suess, E., & Smith, R. M. 1969. Morphological classification of grass phytoliths. Proc. Soil Sci. Soc. America.
• Pearsall, D. M. 2004. Plants and People in Ancient Ecuador: The Ethnobotany of the Jama River Valley. Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, Case Studies in Archaeology Series, Belmont , CA 180 pp.
• Pearsall, D. M. 2000. Paleoethnobotany. A Handbook of Procedures. Second Edition. Academic Press, San Diego. 700 pp.
• Piperno, D. R. and D. M. Pearsall. 1998. The Origins of Agriculture in the Lowland Neotropics. Academic Press, San Diego. 400 pp.
• Pearsall, D. M., K. Chandler-Ezell, and J. A. Zeidler. 2004. Maize in ancient Ecuador: Results of residue analysis of stone tools from the Real Alto site. Journal of Archaeological Science 31:423-442.
• Darwin, C. R. 1846. "An Account of the Fine Dust Which Often Falls on Vessels in the Atlantic Ocean," Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London 2 (Read 4 June 1845): 26-30. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/content/frameset?itemID=F1672&viewtype=text&pageseq=3 （頁面存檔備份，存於互聯網檔案館）).

外部連結

• （英文）What is the phytolith? （頁面存檔備份，存於互聯網檔案館）
• （英文）Ecological significance of phytoliths （頁面存檔備份，存於互聯網檔案館）
• （英文）Background from St. Cloud laboratory
• （英文）Association of Environmental Archaeology （頁面存檔備份，存於互聯網檔案館）
• Steve Archer, "About Phytoliths": https://web.archive.org/web/20070506230653/http://research.history.org/Archaeological_Research/Collections/CollArchaeoBot/PhytoFAQs.cfm .
• Terry B. Ball, "Phytolith Literature Review": http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/ben/ben282.html （頁面存檔備份，存於互聯網檔案館） .
• Dr. Sanjay Eksambekar's 'Phytolith Research Institute': http://www.phytolithresearch.com （頁面存檔備份，存於互聯網檔案館）
• Deborah Pearsall's MU Phytolith Database ,https://web.archive.org/web/20070422163808/http://web.missouri.edu/~umcasphyto/index.shtml
• "What are Phytoliths?" Sandstone Archaeology Paleoethnobotany Laboratory https://web.archive.org/web/20080820003629/http://www.sandstonearchaeology.com/paleoethnobotany.html