Excited to see this out! Thanks also to the @burkemuseum.bsky.social and @uwbiology.bsky.social for supporting this research in various ways!

Next time you feel the sharp sting of a nettle (Urtica), think of its fascinating stinging microhairs - here around 150–200 µm in length - with irritating chemicals stored in their bulbous heads. The study study investigates plant silica bodies (phytoliths), including these microhairs and other morphotypes, of extant dicotyledons prevalent in North-Western Europe, establishing a baseline for botanical, archaeobotanical, and palaeoecological research.

🎉 Good news! The paper ‘Phytoliths in dicotyledons occurring in Northwest Europe: establishing a baseline’ by R. Hermans et al. is now #free for a limited time 1/7

👉 doi.org/pdrp

@rosaliehermans.bsky.social
@christophe-fire.bsky.social
@caestromberg.bsky.social
@tloeffelmann.bsky.social

@martinjhodson.bsky.social can you please add me to the phytolith researcher starter pack? 😄