Anisotropic cell growth-regulated surface micropatterns in flower petals

Autor: Xiao Huang, Yu Hai, Wei-Hua Xie
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2017
Předmět:
Zdroj: Theoretical and Applied Mechanics Letters, Vol 7, Iss 3, Pp 169-174 (2017)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2095-0349
50177427
DOI: 10.1016/j.taml.2017.03.004
Popis: Flower petals have not only diverse macroscopic morphologies but are rich in microscopic surface patterns, which are crucial to their biological functions. Both experimental measurements and theoretical analysis are conducted to reveal the physical mechanisms underlying the formation of minute wrinkles on flower petals. Three representative flowers, daisy, kalanchoe blossfeldiana, and Eustoma grandiflorum, are investigated as examples. A surface wrinkling model, incorporating the measured mechanical properties and growth ratio, is used to elucidate the difference in their surface morphologies. The mismatch between the anisotropic epidermal cell growth and the isotropic secretion of surficial wax is found to dictate the surface patterns.
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