A reconstruction of the history of a Holocene sand dune on Great Barrier Island, northern New Zealand, using pollen and phytolith analyses

Aim   To reconstruct the history of a Holocene sand dune using pollen and phytolith analyses, and to identify the strengths, weaknesses and compatibility of these two methods in the interpretation of Quaternary coastal environments.
Location  Great Barrier Island, northern New Zealand.
Methods  Pollen and phytolith analyses were carried out on a sequence through a Holocene sand dune containing a palaeosol.
Results  Phytoliths were present throughout the sequence. Grass phytoliths increased at the expense of tree phytoliths following fire disturbance. Pollen (and spores) was preserved only in the palaeosol part of the profile. Pteridium fern spores increased at the expense of tall tree pollen following the fire disturbance.
Main conclusions  Lack of phytolith production by many species and problems of taxonomic specificity in many others restricts the usefulness of phytolith analysis to defining only broad vegetation types. In New Zealand, gymnosperms are invisible in the phytolith record and ferns are extremely under-represented. In contrast, pollen analysis usually provides a great deal of information regarding the composition of a particular vegetation type. The loss of microscopic charcoal fragments during the phytolith extraction process is a disadvantage in the reconstruction of environments where fires have occurred. The greater durability of phytoliths compared with pollen means that phytoliths may be found in sediments where pollen has not been preserved. The phytolith record may also provide evidence of wetter environments that are not apparent in the pollen record. Unlike grass pollen, which is widely dispersed and therefore blurs the spatial record, the presence of grass phytoliths in sediments indicates a local source. The simultaneous application of both methods potentially provides a powerful tool in ecological interpretation and the reconstruction of Quaternary coastal environments.     

Tracing microfossil residues of cereal processing in the archaeobotanical record: an experimental approach

Interdisciplinary methodological approaches are fundamental for studying tool use and crop processing patterns in the archaeological record. Many archaeological studies of plant microfossil evidence, primarily those of phytoliths, starch grains and pollen, are concerned with processing methods which can be replicated through experimentally produced plant residues. However, most of these studies rely on crop identification through the presence or absence of such microfossils while giving little or hardly any weight to taphonomy and formation processes, which are critical for interpreting archaeological contexts. An investigation of experimentally produced phytolith and pollen assemblages provides the opportunity to evaluate the impact of cereal processing on both microfossils. Controlled experiments were conducted at the Museum of Menorca, Balearic Islands, Spain, for assessing microfossil taphonomy using Iron Age Talayotic tools and Hordeum vulgare (hulled barley) grown nowadays on the island. For dehusking, a sandstone mortar and a wooden pestle were used outdoors, whereas grinding took place indoors using a limestone quern and handstone. The results indicate that the size of multicellular or anatomically connected phytoliths decreases as a result of mechanical degradation suffered through processing activities, whereas the proportion of cereal pollen grains increases through these processes. Additionally, experimental samples from dehusking and sieving provided abundant evidence of floral bracts, and also of other plant parts and even different plant species, such as phytoliths from leaves and stems and non cereal pollen taxa, which were also to be found on the surfaces of the ground stone tools. These findings highlight the importance of integrating different lines of microfossil evidence and taking into account formation and taphonomic aspects, as well as the value of experimentally produced data for a better understanding of tool use and crop processing.     

安徽禹会村遗址双墩文化时期农业发展的植硅体证据

本文利用植硅体分析方法,对安徽蚌埠禹会村遗址双墩文化时期44份土壤样品开展植物考古研究,重点关注典型农作物植硅体类型及其形态特征,以及敏感型与固定型植硅体组合特征等。结果显示,禹会村遗址大部分样品中皆发现有水稻特征型植硅体,并未发现粟、黍等旱地作物遗存;水稻扇型及双峰型植硅体形态特征分析显示,水稻遗存为驯化程度较高的粳型稻。以上研究结果表明,该遗址双墩文化时期的农业结构延续了顺山集文化时期以来种植粳型稻为主的传统。此外,通过水稻植硅体高密度样品中敏感型与固定型植硅体含量比值为0.7±0.2推测,该遗址水稻栽培环境属于“高地势-雨水供给”或“低地势-雨水供给”类型。本文研究结果为探讨淮河中游地区新石器时代农业发展、水稻栽培与驯化以及人类适应策略等问题提供了重要科学依据。     

Do soil phytoliths accurately represent plant communities in a temperate region? A case study of Northeast China

Modern soil phytoliths can potentially provide analogues for phytolith assemblages from archaeological and palaeoecological contexts. To assess the reliability of soil phytoliths for representing different plant communities, we analysed phytoliths in surface soils and parent plants at 65 sites representing five types of regional vegetation in Northeast China. The results demonstrated that surface soil phytolith assemblages could clearly differentiate samples from herbaceous and woody communities, and samples from Poaceae and non-Poaceae communities could be separated statistically. In addition, woody communities could be differentiated into a broadleaf-Poaceae community, a broadleaf-non-Poaceae community and a conifer and broadleaf-non-Poaceae community, except for some overlapping samples. Soil phytolith assemblages are thus able to differentiate regional vegetation types into different plant community types. In the present study, soil phytoliths represented about 30% of the phytoliths present in the aboveground vegetation. In addition, soil phytoliths from different communities reflected the aboveground vegetation with slightly different degrees of accuracy, and in addition different morphotypes exhibited different degrees of representational bias. Some morphotypes (e.g. rondel, elongate psilate, lanceolate) overrepresented the abundance of the associated plant taxa; morphotypes such as tracheid, conical epidermal, stomata and others under-represented the original plant richness; and other morphotypes, e.g. saddle, trapeziform sinuate, scutiform, were in good agreement with the numbers of plant taxa in the plot inventory. Thus, any quantitative palaeovegetation reconstruction using phytoliths should begin with the calibration of soil phytolith assemblages. We conclude that our findings provide improved phytolith analogues for different plant communities, with applications in palaeoenvironmental reconstruction, and they also provide additional insights into the mechanisms of phytolith production and deposition.     

Experimental investigation of pathogenic stress on phytolith formation in Cucurbita pepo var. texana (wild gourd)

Silica phytoliths that form in plant tissues are useful to archaeologists because of their diagnostic value and longevity in ancient deposits. Palaeoecology, site formation processes, plant domestication, and other topics are routinely addressed using phytolith assemblages, especially when macrobotanical remains are not well preserved. However, little research has been conducted to document the effects of ecological variables on phytolith formation. Here, we investigate the effects of mosaic virus and bacterial wilt disease on diagnostic scalloped phytoliths in the rind of a wild-type Cucurbita pepo var texana (gourd). We observe a minimal change in phytolith size distribution between control plants and individuals with mosaic virus. However, we observe a notable difference between plants with bacterial wilt disease and control plants, with diseased individuals carrying a greater proportion of large-diameter scalloped phytoliths. This and similar phenomena could potentially confound archaeological interpretations of phytolith assemblages, and we suggest that the effects of this and other ecological variables should be studied in a diverse range of taxa.     

城子崖遗址植硅体反映的生业经济模式

龙山文化是中国史前社会形态演进的关键阶段,亦是农业强化生产的关键时期。城子崖遗址是鲁北平原史前区域中心城址,其生业经济研究有助于理解该地区社会复杂化及文明进程。本文对城子崖遗址龙山时期不同遗迹单位的15份土样进行了系统的植硅体分析,尝试探讨了该遗址龙山文化时期的社会发展和生业经济水平、农作物生产和加工方式、野生植物资源利用情况以及各遗迹堆积及其所反映的人类行为活动信息。结果显示,该遗址龙山文化时期已形成粟、黍、稻、小麦、稗(可能)的农作物组合方式;同时,广泛采集利用聚落周边的自然植物资源,是农业与采集业并存发展的生业经济模式。先民在作物栽培中进行了锄草、灌溉等较为精细的管理,其中,黍较粟更具耐旱抗病特性,加上田间管理需求较低而被优先选择栽培。先民在收获作物时,采用类似割穗、掐穗等方法以减少作物茎秆及杂草混入,随后在户外进行小规模地脱壳、扬场工作。此外,根据灰坑中植硅体的组合特征可将其分为生活垃圾、谷物加工、蓄水淘米三个类型,水井和墓葬内的植硅体则分别与生活环境和丧葬环节等信息相关。     

陕北榆林王阳畔遗址的植硅体分析

榆林地处农牧交错带,是研究环境演变和人地关系的理想地区。本文基于植硅体分析,探讨了该地区王阳畔遗址仰韶晚期至龙山早期过渡阶段的农业生产情况及农业对环境的适应等。遗址剖面及灰坑样品的植硅体分析表明:仰韶晚期,粟和黍是先民的主要粮食作物,而黍较粟始终保持着种植优势;龙山早期,粟作农业逐渐衰落。植硅体组合图谱显示,先民在此遗址活动期间,气候是略偏凉偏干的,整体上较为稳定,呈现出干凉化的趋势。综合来看,农业活动的强弱在一定程度上响应了环境的变化。需要指出的是,该遗址榆科植硅体的大量发现,不仅补充了史前植物利用史,同时也对丰富植硅体数据库具有重要意义。     

New evidence for Neolithic rice cultivation and Holocene environmental change in the Fuzhou Basin,southeast China

A stratified profile of the Zhuangbianshan (ZBS) archaeological site (Fuzhou Basin, Fujian) was studied to investigate Neolithic era anthropogenic influence and associated environmental changes. Analysis of the archaeological sediments focused on phytoliths, palynomorphs and microcharcoal. Until now, a lack of direct evidence for agriculture has made it difficult to know if Neolithic cultures of this area relied on the exploitation of wild plants such as nuts and sago palm, or a combination of farming and foraging. Three types of rice phytoliths were found in ZBS archaeological deposits, providing robust evidence for rice farming as part of a broad-spectrum Neolithic subsistence economy centered on fishing and hunting. Chronologies based on AMS ¹⁴C dates and artifact typology place the earliest rice during the Tanshishan (TSS) Period (5,000–4,300 cal bp) followed by a shift to economic dependency on rice in the Huangguashan (HGS) Period (4,300–3,500 cal bp). The ZBS phytolith assemblage contains high frequencies of rice husk (peaked-shape glume cells) phytoliths, with far fewer leaf and stem types. This indicates late stage processing activities such as dehusking, implying a focus on consumption rather than rice production. High concentrations of charcoal in the Neolithic ZBS deposits indicate local human settlement and peaks in fire use. The ZBS pollen record also reflects human settlement and peaks in local forest clearance during the Neolithic. Forest cover was renewed when the site was temporarily abandoned following the Neolithic. Rapid formation of the Min River floodplain began ~2,000 cal bp in association with retreating sea level and intensifying anthropogenic influence. Prior to that, rice farming in the Fuzhou Basin was limited by the scarcity of wetlands suitable for agriculture.     

Morphological variations of lobate phytoliths from grasses in China and the south-eastern United States

Abstract. Phytolith analysis of grasses is a useful tool in palaeoenvironmental and archaeobotanical research. Lobate phytolith is one of the most important morphotypes of grass phytoliths. This study describes morphological variations of diagnostic lobate phytoliths and produces a tentative classification scheme based on 250 modern grass species from China and the south‐eastern U.S.A. Eighty‐five grass species were found to contain lobate phytoliths. They are derived mainly from Panicoideae, but also include the Chloridoideae, Oryzoideae and Arundinoideae subfamilies. Twenty‐five lobate morphological types were observed from different subfamilies, genera or tribes of grasses, based on two important parameters: (1) the length of the lobate shank and (2) the shape of the outer margin of the two lobes. The identification of grass tribe or even genus is possible based on the differences in lobate shape parameters or the composition of assemblages. However, not all of the lobate assemblages have a definite relationship with the genera that produce them, because grasses can only produce a limited range of lobate shapes that often overlap from one genus to another. Several C₃ grasses and Chloridoideae subfamily grasses also produce characteristic lobate phytoliths. The variations of lobate morphologies can be related to environmental factors, especially moisture. Typical hygrophytic grasses tend to yield lobate phytoliths with very short shank, whereas typical xerophytic grasses tend to produce lobate phytoliths with a very long shank. The potential link between phytolith morphology, grass taxonomy and environmental conditions opens the possibility that phytolith morphology may be used as a proxy in palaeoclimatic reconstruction.     

东北地区芦苇植硅体形态的空间差异

笔者对东北地区12个样点的芦苇叶片的植硅体进行了分析,探讨了芦苇植硅体在空间上的分布规律,揭示芦苇植硅体的环境指示意义,为定量恢复古环境提供参考。实验结果表明:12个样点中芦苇植硅体基本类型相同,共有5种主要植硅体类型,即中鞍型、帽型、芦苇扇型、尖型和棒型;但芦苇植硅体的浓度随着纬度的变化而相应的发生变化。总体来说,纬度较低的样点芦苇植硅体的浓度较大,而纬度较高的样点芦苇植硅体的浓度相对较小;随着纬度的变化,芦苇的特征植硅体中鞍型的浓度也呈现波状变化,牡丹江以南的几个样点中鞍型植硅体浓度相对较大,9、10两个月牡丹江以北的几个样点中鞍型植硅体浓度迅速减少。芦苇扇型植硅体则呈现出纬度较高的样点植硅体浓度较大,纬度较低的样点植硅体浓度较小的特点,芦苇扇型植硅体的空间变化规律与扇型植硅体的不同。     

中国-中新世湖泊的古生态:根据山旺盆地植硅体的初步解释

山东山旺中新世山旺组湖相沉积中富含保存精美的古生物化石。对于湖相沉积中的昆虫、植物和哺乳动物化石,前人已经做了大量的研究工作。其中植物大化石和孢粉的研究结果表明,中新世山旺组在沉积期间,山旺湖周围的植被处于湿润的暖温带到亚热带的古生态环境下。哺乳动物蝙蝠和貘化石的研究结果也支持这个结论。然而,迄今为止,还没有关于草本植物的种类组成及含量的研究报道。本文首次对山旺组样品中的植硅体进行了研究,为山旺中新世植被的研究提供了新的证据。对从6块山旺组样品中分析出的植硅体进行研究的结果表明,山旺中新世植硅体组合含有丰富的保存极好的草本植物植硅体,代表森林成分的双子叶植物植硅体,以及偶尔出现的棕榈科植硅体。草本植物的植硅体主要来自于C_3/C_4禾本科的PACCAD类群和早熟禾亚科的植物,少数可能来自于在林下封闭生活环境中生长的草本植物。山旺中新世植硅体组合显示,在湖边森林生活环境下,伴生大量的适合沼生到中生环境的草本植物,在较干旱的地区生长着早熟禾(和PACCAD)的草本植物。本文的研究结果进一步支持山旺中新世气候比现在更加湿润而且变动较小的观点。山旺中新世植硅体组合与土耳其和北美大平原中新世湖相沉积中的植硅体组合不同,后者的植硅体组合主要是由多种C_3早熟禾亚科草本和不同种类的PACCAD类群草本植物组成。今后的研究工作将进一步揭示这种差异是否反映了草本植物群落在大尺度的生物地理上的差异,或者是由于地区性的局部气候不同所导致。     

Advantages and disadvantages of phytolith analysis for the reconstruction of Mediterranean vegetation: an assessment based on modern phytolith, pollen and botanical data (Luberon, France)

We present here the results of a first study comparing modern soil phytolith assemblages with pollen and botanical data at a North Mediterranean site. This work has shown the following limitations and advantages of phytolith analysis for the reconstruction of Mediterranean vegetation:(1) Phytoliths are produced in sufficient quantities for analysis and are well preserved in limestone environments, widespread in the Mediterranean area. (2) Young stands of Quercus ilex and Quercus coccifera, widely distributed in the Mediterranean area do not produce characteristic phytolith types in sufficient quantities to allow the calculation of a reliable index of tree cover density. (3) Pine forests, dominated by Pinus halepensis and Pinus sylvestris, are not recorded in the studied phytolith assemblages. (4) Grassland and shrubland assemblages can be distinguished through their associated phytolith assemblages, in particular by the proportion of crenate phytoliths produced in the short cells of the grass epidermis. (5) The different vegetation groups on the massif cannot be distinguished by pollen analysis. Further studies, comparing modern phytolith assemblages and quantitative vegetation data, should be carried out on forest plots that have been established for several centuries to further assess the role of phytolith analysis in vegetation reconstructions in the Mediterranean region.     

Phytoliths in woody plants from the northern slope of the Changbai Mountain (Northeast China), and their implication

Phytoliths were extracted from 14 woody plants collected on the northern slope of the Changbai Mountain, including 10 broad-leaved species and 4 conifers. A total of 14 morphotypes of phytoliths were identified, including 3 types first examined in this study. Phytoliths in broad-leaved species were mostly silicified epidermal cells, cell walls, and vascular tissues; phytoliths in conifers were mainly silicified epidermal cells, cell walls, hypodermal cells, and parenchyma cells. Phytoliths produced by broad-leaved species in this region were usually not well silicified, and were fragile, whereas those produced by conifers were better silicified; this might be because of the different lengths of the growth periods. Phytoliths were found have potential in studies of fluctuations of the tree line in this region, and this study also provided a reference for further study of phytoliths in this region and the regional contrast of phytolith assemblages.     

A comparison of heavy liquid floatation and microwave digestion techniques for the extraction of fossil phytoliths from sediments

This paper reports the results of a comparative analysis of two techniques used for the extraction of fossil phytoliths from sediments. The first is a standard heavy liquid floatation extraction technique that has been successfully used and proven to provide reliable phytolith assemblage data. A second technique using a Perkin-Elmer Multiwave Microwave Sample Preparation System is introduced, and the results are compared to those of the conventional technique. Results for both techniques, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of their use are discussed. This study provides an introduction to an alternative technique for the extraction of fossil phytoliths and possibly starch grains from sediments. The microwave technique is fast, inexpensive, omits the need for heavy liquid floatation and most importantly results in the appropriation of interpretable and replicable fossil phytolith assemblage data.     

Diversity of lobate phytoliths in grass leaves from the Sahel region, West Tropical Africa: Tribe Paniceae

Phytoliths are microscopic amorphous silicon dioxide (SiO2.H2O) particles occurring in leaves, internodes, glumes and inflorescence within all members of the grass family Poaceae. Phytoliths of grasses are of particular interest, as they possess morphological features which have encouraged many investigators to identify these plants from which fossil phytoliths might have originated. The present study is a step towards preparing a systematic inventory of grass phytoliths in western tropical Africa. Morphology and dimensions of phytoliths from 66 species belonging to the tribe Paniceae have been studied. Four shape categories of lobate phytoliths have been determined in leaf blade spodograms: bilobate, nodular bilobate, polylobate, quadra-lobate. Bilobate shaped phytoliths are frequently represented in all genera of Paniceae. 13 groups of lobate phytoliths have been distinguished based on significant morphological criteria like shape of outer margins, shape of the shank and number of lobes. A size category system of lobate phytolith dimensions (length, width; length and width of shanks) has been developed by the analysis of average, minimum and maximum values of these dimensions. Application of the size category system results on classifying the major groups into 25 subgroups. The study proves that size and shape can be used to assign some of the lobate phytoliths to their respective genera. Some rarely produced lobate shapes like nodular bilobate and polylobate types could be used together on assemblage basis as markers for definite genera in the tribe Paniceae, e.g. Brachiaria, Panicum, Pennisetum and Setaria. Also, bilobate phytoliths with concave margins have been recorded in five species. Bilobate phytoliths with flattened and convex margins and quadra-lobate shapes are produced by almost all species which therefore resulted in an inconsistent and indefinite relationship with the taxa that produce them. The study shows a correlation between width dimensions of bilobate shapes and their shanks. Greater width dimensions usually connected to thick shanks while short ones are attached to thin shanks. A spectrum on percentages of species producing each type of lobate phytolith has been designed. It is recommended that such spectrum should be carried out for all tribes of Poaceae on phyto-geographical basis which might eliminate the effect of redundancy and multiplicity on the classification of grass phytoliths.     

Assessing the importance of environmental factors to phytoliths of Phragmites communis in north-eastern China

Phytoliths have proved to be reliable indicators of environmental conditions both at present and in the past, and can provide evidence for the distribution of taxa or vegetation. Understanding the environmental significance of phytoliths within plants helps in drawing more reliable inferences about palaeovegetation and in reconstructing the palaeo-environment. The present study examined the relationship between phytoliths and environmental factors to assess the environmental significance of different types of phytoliths. Phytoliths were extracted from Phragmites communis growing in xerophytic and aquatic habitats at twelve sampling sites in north-eastern China and their implications for the environment were assessed using quantitative data mainly including phytolith concentration and environmental factors and statistical analyses. Principal component analysis (PCA) of several environmental factors (including the climate, micro terrain, and the physicochemical properties of soils) revealed that other factors being constant, P. communis phytolith concentrations were influenced largely by the average annual temperature and precipitation. Orthogonal experiment analysis and three-way analyses of variance of the concentrations confirmed the reliability of the results of the PCA. More specifically, the concentrations of the saddle and rondel types of phytoliths (the short-cell phytoliths) were closely linked to the average annual temperature whereas those of the elongate, lanceolate, and bulliform phytoliths (the non-short-cell phytoliths) were more sensitive to the variations in water status. The results contribute to further confirming the major environmental implications of phytoliths and, in turn, providing a reference for growth and development of wetland plants. Our findings also provide critical information that could help managers and policymakers assess and modify ecological restoration practices.     

Prairie grass phytolith hardness and the evolution of ungulate hypsodonty

Silica phytoliths in grasses are thought to serve as a defence mechanism against grazing ungulates by causing excessive tooth wear. It is posited that they contributed to the evolution of hypsodonty in these animals. However, some have questioned whether grass phytoliths can abrade enamel. Here Mohs hardness testing was conducted on Blue Grama grass (Bouteloua gracilis) to determine phytolith hardness. Microindentation was performed on horse and American bison molars to establish dental constituent hardness values. To infer the phytoliths' abrasion capacity, the hardness values were contrasted. Phytolith hardness ranged from 18.0 to 191.5 HV. This is considerably softer than the values obtained for ungulate enamel, which range from 332.6 to 363.4 HV, but harder than the other dental constituents. Although Blue Grama phytoliths are incapable of directly abrading enamel, when viewed in conjunction with other data on phytolith hardness, there is considerable variation across grass species and some phytoliths are actually harder than ungulate enamel. Blue Grama grass phytoliths may even promote enamel wear due to pressure accentuation caused by the recession of softer tissues. Given these findings and considerations, it is plausible phytoliths served an integral role in the co-evolution of grasses and herbivorous ungulates, although more testing is needed to bear this out.     

Palaeoecological interpretation of the late Miocene landscapes and vegetation of northern Greece: A comment to Merceron et al., 2016 (Geobios 49, 135–146)

Recent works on feeding habits of ungulates, isotopic composition of equid tooth enamel, and phytoliths from late Miocene localities of northern Greece suggested the presence of savannah and excluded dense forests. Furthermore, Mediterranean-like climates were advocated for the late Miocene of Greece. Here, I compare palaeoenvironments inferred for two mammal localities from Chalkidiki and the Axios Valley (Nikiti, upper Vallesian and lower Turolian; Dytiko, upper Turolian) with evidence from contemporaneous plant assemblages from adjacent areas in Greece and Bulgaria. I use vegetation units inferred from pollen and spore, fruit and seed, and leaf assemblages and compare them with the vegetation inferred from mammal and phytolith data. Open vegetation as inferred from mammal and phytolith data is also part of the range of vegetation units discovered from the pollen and spore, seed and fruit, and leaf record (here called the palaeobotanical record). Poaceae are consistently present in late Vallesian to late Turolian pollen records of northern Greece. Further, a number of vegetation units are indicative of forest vegetation ranging from lowland to upland forests dominated by woody angiosperms and mixed coniferous-angiosperm forests. The presence of such forests is not in conflict with the results from mammal and phytolith studies, but it broadens the view on landscapes present in the late Miocene of northern Greece. In addition to a generalized vegetation type commonly inferred by mammal studies, the palaeobotanical record demonstrates the presence of various complementary vegetation types. A comprehensive view on late Miocene landscapes in northern Greece shows that there is no conflict in inferring open herb dominated landscapes and light to dense forests and provides new opportunities for the ecological interpretation of late Miocene ungulates.     

Identifying inflorescence phytoliths from selected species of wheat (Triticum monococcum, T. dicoccon, T. dicoccoides, and T. aestivum) and barley (Hordeum vulgare and H. spontaneum) (Gramineae)

Analysis of microfossil silica phytoliths is becoming an increasingly important research tool for taxonomists, archaeobotanists, and paleoecologists. Expanded use of phytolith analysis by researchers is dependent upon development of phytolith systematics. In this study phytoliths produced by the inflorescence bracts from four species of wheat, Triticum monoccocum, T. dicoccon, T. dicoccoides, and T. aestivum, and two species of barley, Hordeum vulgare, and H. spontaneum, were analyzed using computer-assisted image and statistical analysis with the intent to develop taxonomic tools to distinguish among the taxa. A classification key based on significant differences among the mean morphometries of the inflorescence phytoliths produced by each species was created and tested. Discriminant analysis of the morphometries of several morphotypes of phytoliths was also conducted to determine whether this computer-assisted statistical procedure could be used as another method to classify the taxa and to determine which morphotypes have measurements that can best be used in discriminant functions. Test results indicated that, at the genus level, both the classification key and discriminant analysis of certain morphotypes of phytoliths were relatively reliable tools for distinguishing among phytoliths produced in the inflorescence bracts of the taxa considered. For distinguishing among the taxa at the species level, the classification key was most reliable. Of the discriminant analyses tested, that based on all the phytolith morphotypes combined was more reliable than those based on only one morphotype.