Symmetry and Pattern Formation in Flowers

Abstract

Bilateral symmetry of flowers seems to be related to the fact thea the pollinators have two eyes. But, it is not clear why a large number of them have a five-fold symmetry. Often flowers having a five-fold symmetry have a bulb like structure in the base and the tetramerous and hexamerous flowers are flat. Some of the flowers have a helical twist too. The author would like to illustrate the preponderance of pentamerous symmetry in flowers with examples and trace its oringin to prehistoric times. An insight into the possible factors responsible for the pattern formation in passiflora incrqanata (Passion Flower) through the reaction diffusion theory of Turing and an activator-inhibitor model of Meinhardt will be presented.