Birefringent clusters of crystals have been found in the cortex of root nodules in Alnus glutinosa during a scanning electron microscopy study of cryofixed material. Such nodules are formed by nitrogen-fixing actinomycetes of the genus Frankia. The crystals were soluble in hydrochloric acid, insoluble in acetic acid and gave calcium only on energy dispersive X-ray micro-analysis. The evidence suggested that the crystals were composed of calcium oxalate. This appears to be the first report of oxalate in nitrogen-fixing nodules of non-leguminous species.
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