Exploring silica accumulation in bamboo leaves: A study on phytolith morphology and epidermal patterning in the tropical giant bamboo Dendrocalamus copelandii

Bamboo is a grass in the Poaceae family with various applications. Bamboo leaves can accumulate high silica. However, silica deposition in bamboo has received limited study. Therefore, this research investigated silica accumulation in Dendrocalamus copelandii leaves. The study includes the localisation of silica through phytolith morphology, examination of the distribution patterns of phytoliths in epidermal tissues, analysis of silica accumulation within specialised silica cells (short cells), and analysis of silicon concentration across various leaf developmental stages.