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Evolution of Lightweight Structures pp 157–169Cite as

Review: The Functions of Phytoliths in Land Plants

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Part of the book series: Biologically-Inspired Systems ((BISY,volume 6))

Abstract

This chapter comprises a review on phytoliths in land plants. The review summarizes the occurence and role of phytoliths, including their appearance and potentially important functions in land plants, ranging from mechanics, reduction of climatic and chemical stresses, defence against herbivores and pathogenic fungi or germs, to growth promotion. The review ends with a short summary of the methods used for quantitative and qualitative detection, and a description of phytoliths in land plant tissues.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Plant Biomechanics Group, Botanic Garden of the Albert-Ludwig University, Faculty of Biology, Schänzlestraße 1, 79104, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany

    Inga C. Keutmann, Björn Melzer, Robin Seidel & Thomas Speck

  2. Freiburg Materials Research Center (FMF) and Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry of the Albert-Ludwig University, Stefan-Meier-Str. 21–31, 79104, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany

    Ralf Thomann

  3. Freiburg Materials Research Center (FMF), Stefan-Meier-Str. 21–31, 79104, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany

    Thomas Speck

Authors
  1. Inga C. Keutmann
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  2. Björn Melzer
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  3. Robin Seidel
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  4. Ralf Thomann
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  5. Thomas Speck
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Functional Morphology, Evolution and Lig, Alfred Wegener Institut Helmholtz Zentru, Bremerhave, Germany

    Christian Hamm

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Keutmann, I., Melzer, B., Seidel, R., Thomann, R., Speck, T. (2015). Review: The Functions of Phytoliths in Land Plants. In: Hamm, C. (eds) Evolution of Lightweight Structures. Biologically-Inspired Systems, vol 6. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9398-8_9

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