Abstract
Phytoliths are inorganic particles derived from plants, which can be applied in several areas such as plant taxonomy, systematic and paleontological studies. Dry and wet ashing are employed in phytolith extraction from plant tissues and soil. Although they are both well established and widely applied in the phytolith morphological analysis, they can be inefficient to fully remove the organic matter. To overcome this problem, we evaluate the palynological method, acetolysis, for extracting phytoliths. Leaf fragments of Mourera fluviatilis Aublet, a species of the rheophytic family Podostemaceae, was tested with two variables: temperature and time. The obtained protocol was employed in other twelve species. The samples were analyzed in light and scanning electron microscopy. Our results indicate the efficacy of acetolysis in isolating phytoliths from botanical samples, providing a clear surface to the detailed analysis on its ornamentation.
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