Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Prologue
- Part I Pattern recognition
- Introduction
- 1 The centric representation
- 2 The fundamental theorem and its applications
- 3 Hierarchical control in phyllotaxis
- 4 Allometry–type model in phyllotaxis
- 5 Practical pattern recognition
- Epilogue
- Part II Pattern generation: a key to the puzzles
- Part III Origins of phyllotactic patterns
- Part IV Complements
- Appendixes
- Bibliography
- Author index
- Subject index
5 - Practical pattern recognition
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 27 April 2010
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Prologue
- Part I Pattern recognition
- Introduction
- 1 The centric representation
- 2 The fundamental theorem and its applications
- 3 Hierarchical control in phyllotaxis
- 4 Allometry–type model in phyllotaxis
- 5 Practical pattern recognition
- Epilogue
- Part II Pattern generation: a key to the puzzles
- Part III Origins of phyllotactic patterns
- Part IV Complements
- Appendixes
- Bibliography
- Author index
- Subject index
Summary
The necessity of theoretical frameworks
According to Erickson (1983),
One of the difficulties in empirical studies of leaf initiation is in the small size and relative inaccessibility of the shoot apex, enclosed as it usually is by the young leaves of the bud. Usually rather extensive dissection is required to expose it to view, and it is dubious if its further growth is normal. Much of our knowledge of its structure is therefore indirect, based on inferences from sectioned material, or dissections viewed by stereo light microscopy or scanning electron microscopy.
Erickson believes that the classical geometrical models allow one to present results in more objective and general terms than would be possible without a model. In Chapter 4 I proposed a theoretical tool to organize the data so as to achieve that goal more easily and to assess phyllotactic patterns accurately and quickly, as we will see in Chapter 5. The patterns are characterized by the parameters (m, n), d, r or R, and γ. These parameters can be measured on plant shoots. The last parameter has been neglected in previous practical analyses. Its theoretical importance is however acknowledged by van Iterson (1907) and by Erickson (1983) who explains formulae involving γ in various representations of phyllotaxis.
The method of evaluation put forward here will be illustrated with data from various authors, and the conclusions drawn will be compared to theirs.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- PhyllotaxisA Systemic Study in Plant Morphogenesis, pp. 96 - 119Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1994