First data on the phytoliths of some medicinal plants of Primorye region, Russian Federation

The article presents the first data on the morphometric characteristics of phytoliths of medicinal plants of the Far East of Russia: Schisandra chinensis, Bergenia pacifica, Berberis amurensis, Viburnum sargentii, Ribes mandshuricum, Phellodendron amurense, Aronia melanocarpa, Rosa acicularis, Eleutherococcus senticosus, and Panax ginseng. It was found that only the species specificity have only phytoliths of Amur barberry. It is shown that parts of the plant which possesses pharmacological properties, differs with phytoliths composition from those parts in which such properties are less pronounced or nonexistent. In particular, in leaves of Panax ginseng seven types of phytoliths are found out as only one type prevails in the roots. The most common types of phytoliths in all studied plants are irregular ruminate (share from 17 to 98.6%) and irregular smooth (share from 4 to 55%).