2016 年 37 巻 10 号 p. 504-509
There are many biogenic mineral deposits of diameter 25–100 μm on the leaf of the Morus of “Ichinose”. Using a chemical mapping, we can determine these deposits as “opal phytoliths” which are composed of biogenic silica. We tried to observe precisely the distribution pattern in a leaf and the change of shape depending on the maturation of the leaf using an optical microscope. From the results of the observation, it was found that many phytolithes were in close proximity to the veins, and while phytolithes change their shapes depending on the maturation of the leaf, other new phytolithes appear continually.