Phytoliths (plant stones) mean all types of mineral deposition formed in or between plant cells. However, most of the researches on the phytoliths so far have been focused on the opaline silica bodies (silicified phytoliths) formed by grasses. Therefore, the phytolith is usually refered to opaline silica body in a narrow sense. Phytoliths are very useful in grass classification, and their usefulness as microfossils is also proved in several other fields, including soil science, paleoecology, and archaeology. Recently attention has been paid to the possibility that they might function as carcinogen. The purpose of this review is to present an overview of the nature and analysis of phytoliths and their applications in botany as well as other fields of sciencess.encess.