Abstract

RAYA PEREZ, J. C.  and  AGUIRRE MANCILLA, C. L.. Elemental composition of several wild mexican plants. Rev. Chapingo ser. cienc. for. ambient [online]. 2009, vol.15, n.2, pp.95-99. ISSN 2007-4018.

Knowledge of plant elemental composition is useful to know their nutritional needs and the kind of litter created around them. Plants can to form silicon phytolites, which are useful in paleontology and archaeology. Plants were collected from central-occident of Mexico, its elemental composition were analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscope equipped with an Energy Dispersive X-ray microanalyzer SEM-EDS. Semi-parasitic plants (Photosynthetic plants than take nutriments from the host plant) accumulated high quantities of potassium and chloride ions to use as osmolites. Tillandsia recurvata, which is epiphyte, accumulates high quantities of Silicon, as well as, Cyperus sp., this one reported as Silicon accumulator. Tagetes micrantha that is used in Mexican food could contribute with mineral nutrients like potassium and magnesium.

Keywords : elemental composition; microanalysis; carbon; silicon; semi-parasitic; minerals.