Biomechanics of selected arborescent and shrubby monocotyledons

• Tom Masselter,
• Tobias Haushahn,
• Samuel Fink and
• Thomas Speck

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 1602–1619, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.154

• . Additionally we shortly discuss the potential significance of such studies for the development of branched and unbranched bio-inspired fibre-reinforced materials and structures with enhanced properties. Keywords: arborescent monocotyledons; biomechanics; biomimetics; Dracaena; functional morphology

• ; Introduction For many centuries, botanists and non-biologists alike have expressed their fascination about the conspicuous growth form of arborescent monocotyledons. Nevertheless, only in the middle of the 20th century first attempts were made to understand the form–structure–function relationships of these

• the biomechanics of arborescent monocotyledons. They also confirm the status of these plants as interesting concept generators for the development of branched and unbranched fibre-reinforced materials and structures with enhanced properties [6][47][48][49]. The axes of these plants consist of

Functional morphology, biomechanics and biomimetic potential of stem–branch connections in Dracaena reflexa and Freycinetia insignis

• Tom Masselter,
• Sandra Eckert and
• Thomas Speck

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 173–185, doi:10.3762/bjnano.2.21

• in arborescent monocotyledons. For a better and quantitative understanding of the functional morphology of branch–stem-junctions in arborescent monocotyledons, we investigated the two species Dracaena reflexa and Freycinetia insignis. While D. reflexa is able to develop large arborescent forms with

• frequently in broad leaved and gymnosperm trees with secondary cambial growth than in arborescent monocotyledons. Monocotyledons seldom branch, normally only after bloom with a terminal inflorescence or when the apical meristem of the axis is damaged or destroyed [13]. The ramifications of monocotyledons can

• large amount of secondary wood from the main stem is in direct connection with the branches, in arborescent monocotyledons vascular bundles with fibre caps (both summed up as ‘fibrous bundles’ in this study) are isolated, i.e., with no or little tangential or radial interconnection, and arranged in a