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The recursive nature of some patterns is obvious in certain examples—a branch from a tree or a frond from a fern is a miniature replica of the whole: not identical, but similar in nature. Similarly, random fractals have been used to describe/create many highly irregular real-world objects, such as coastlines and mountains.
[23] [24] Visual patterns in nature find explanations in chaos theory, fractals, logarithmic spirals, topology and other mathematical patterns. For example, L-systems form convincing models of different patterns of tree growth. [19] The laws of physics apply the abstractions of mathematics to the real world, often as if it were perfect.
L-system trees form realistic models of natural patterns. An L-system or Lindenmayer system is a parallel rewriting system and a type of formal grammar.An L-system consists of an alphabet of symbols that can be used to make strings, a collection of production rules that expand each symbol into some larger string of symbols, an initial "axiom" string from which to begin construction, and a ...
A branch, also called a ramus in botany, is a stem that grows off from another stem, or when structures like veins in leaves are divided into smaller veins. [ 1 ] History and etymology
The fern is one of the basic examples of self-similar sets, i.e. it is a mathematically generated pattern that can be reproducible at any magnification or reduction. Like the Sierpinski triangle , the Barnsley fern shows how graphically beautiful structures can be built from repetitive uses of mathematical formulas with computers.
Plant habit refers to the overall shape of a plant, and it describes a number of components such as stem length and development, branching pattern, and texture. While many plants fit neatly into some main categories, such as grasses , vines , shrubs , or trees , others can be more difficult to categorise.
If the sympodium is always formed on the same side of the branch bifurcation, e.g. always on the right side, the branching structure is called a helicoid cyme or bostryx. [1] If the sympodium occurs alternately, e.g. on the right and then the left, the branching pattern is called a scorpioid cyme or cincinus (also spelled cincinnus).
Other botanists allow the term frond to also apply to the large leaves of cycads, as well as palms and various other flowering plants, such as mimosa or sumac. [ 4 ] [ 5 ] "Frond" is commonly used to identify a large, compound leaf, but if the term is used botanically to refer to the leaves of ferns and algae it may be applied to smaller and ...