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Serial section videography (SSV): A low-cost protocol for generating 3D reconstructions of internal plant structure.
Applications in plant sciences·2026
Do Developing Plant Branches Conform to a Single Allometric Growth Rule?
Charles A Price1,2, Jacob S Suissa1
1Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA.
Plant, Cell & Environment
|August 7, 2025
Summary
Physical models help predict plant growth. A new flow similarity model accurately predicts terminal stem allometry in seed plants across diverse species and evolutionary timescales.
Area of Science:
- Plant biology
- Ecology
- Evolutionary biology
Background:
- Biologists use physical models to understand organismal growth patterns.
- Previous models for tree branching often assume self-similarity and single physical constraints.
- The flow similarity model predicts distinct allometry for terminal branches based on hydraulic principles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the flow similarity model's predictions for terminal stem growth in seed plants.
- To assess the variation and evolutionary stability of terminal stem allometry across diverse species.
Main Methods:
- Studied terminal stem dimensions of 52 woody plant species.
- Covered a wide range of stem volumes (four orders of magnitude).
- Employed phylogenetic analysis to examine evolutionary trends and selection pressures.
Main Results:
- Terminal stem allometry showed limited variation across seed plant lineages, despite extensive divergent evolution.
- Phylogenetic analysis indicated stable trait means and a strong tendency towards specific allometric values.
- Observed mean values closely aligned with the predictions of the flow similarity model.
Conclusions:
- Terminal stem ontogeny in seed plants adheres to consistent allometric scaling principles.
- These principles operate across both evolutionary and ecological scales.
- The findings support the flow similarity model and suggest stabilizing selection on stem allometry.