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AOBPreview first published online on October 9, 2006
This version published online on October 9, 2006
Annals of Botany, doi:10.1093/aob/mcl207
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© The Author 2006. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org
Received June 16, 2006
Revised July 13, 2006
Accepted August 16, 2006

Article

Phytolith Assemblages and Systematic Associations in Grassland Species of the South-Eastern Pampean Plains, Argentina

MARIANA FERNÁNDEZ HONAINE 1 * {dagger}, ALEJANDRO F. ZUCOL 2 {dagger}, and MARGARITA L. OSTERRIETH 1

1 Centro de Geología de Costas y del Cuaternario, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, CC 722, Correo Central, (7600) Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
2 Laboratorio de Paleobotánica, Centro de Investigaciones Científicas (CICYTTP-CONICET), Dr. Matteri y España (E3105BWA) Diamante, Entre Ríos, Argentina

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
MARIANA FERNÁNDEZ HONAINE, E-mail: fhonaine{at}mdp.edu.ar


  Abstract

• Background and Aims Phytolith descriptions of South American plant species are scarce. This knowledge is crucial for the interpretation of the fossil phytolith record of a region. In this study phytolith assemblages and systematic relationships of the main grasses and Asteraceae species of Paspalum quadrifarium grassland are described.

• Methods Phytoliths from leaves of Poaceae and Asteraceae species were extracted by using a calcination technique. For each species, 350-400 phytoliths were counted and the relative frequency of each morphotype was calculated. Phytolith assemblages were subject to principal components analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (Morisita index).

• Key Results PCA and cluster analysis showed family (Poaceae vs. Asteraceae) and subfamily (within Poaceae) differentiation. Exceptions to general trends described for other species were detected. Floristic variants of Paspalum quadrifarium grassland can be separated by their phytolith assemblages.

• Conclusions The study provides a reference collection of phytolith assemblages of the main Poaceae and Asteraceae species of Paspalum quadrifarium grassland and describes some phytolith morphotypes/systematic relationships useful for the analysis of fossil phytolith assemblages of the Pampean region.

Keywords: Paspalum quadrifarium, Asteraceae, Poaceae, phytolith assemblages, Argentina, Southern Pampa.
{dagger} These authors are employed by CONICET (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas).
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