DataSheet_1_Phytoliths in Inflorescence Bracts: Preliminary Results of an Investigation on Common Panicoideae Plants in China.docx

Phytoliths in the inflorescence of Poaceae plants can be of high taxonomic value in some archaeological contexts and provide insight into plant taxonomy and crop domestication processes. In this study, phytoliths in every inflorescence bract of 38 common Panicoideae weeds and minor crops in China were studied. Based on dissection of the inflorescence into different bracts using a treatment that retained the phytoliths anatomical position, observations of inflorescence phytoliths types and distribution were described in detail. We found that Interdigitating, Blocky amoeboid, Rectangular dentate, and Elongate dendritic with multi tent-like arch tops were of higher taxonomic value than the other types in our studied species. Both morphological and morphometric traits of the Interdigitating were summarized and compared with previous studies; the findings suggested that genus level discrimination of some Paniceae species could be reliable, and tribe/species level discrimination might be feasible. The phytoliths in the involucre of domesticated and wild type Coix lacryma-jobi provided insight into the domestication process of this plant. Our data also indicated that phytolith production in the inflorescence bracts might be under the genetic and molecular control of inflorescence development. Thus, the findings of this study could assist future studies in plant taxonomy and archaeobotany.

禾本科（Poaceae）植物花序中的植硅体（phytolith）在部分考古研究背景下具备较高的分类学价值，可为植物分类学与作物驯化进程研究提供关键视角。本研究针对中国境内38种常见黍亚科（Panicoideae）杂草及次要作物的全部花序苞片开展植硅体分析。通过采用保留植硅体解剖位置的处理方式对花序进行不同苞片的解剖分离，研究人员详细描述了花序植硅体的类型与分布特征。本研究发现，交错状、块状变形虫状、矩形齿状以及具多触手状拱顶的细长树突状植硅体，相较于本研究涉及的其他类型，具有更高的分类学价值。研究团队对交错状植硅体的形态学与形态计量学特征进行了总结，并与既往研究结果进行对比；结果显示，部分黍族（Paniceae）物种的属级鉴别具备可靠性，族/物种级别的鉴别亦具有可行性。驯化型与野生型薏苡（Coix lacryma-jobi）总苞中的植硅体，可为该植物的驯化进程研究提供参考依据。本研究数据同时表明，花序苞片的植硅体形成可能受到花序发育的遗传与分子调控。综上，本研究结果可为未来植物分类学与考古植物学（archaeobotany）领域的相关研究提供助力。