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Videos by Rolf Sattler
This new book by Rolf Sattler examines widespread misconceptions about science and their devastat... more This new book by Rolf Sattler examines widespread misconceptions about science and their devastating consequences that have also been evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. The misconceptions also prevent us from seeing beyond science.
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Wholeness, Fragmentation, and the Unnamable: Holis by Rolf Sattler
Kaplan's Principles of Plant Morphology: A Critical Review, 2022
is a monumental work of 1305 pages in a large format. It presents a wealth of well-organized morp... more is a monumental work of 1305 pages in a large format. It presents a wealth of well-organized morphological data that are relevant not only to plant morphology but also to many other fields such as plant genetics, molecular biology, evolution, systematics, biodiversity, crop science, etc. The interpretations of the data are in terms of classical plant morphology, a rigid typological framework that Kaplan adopted from Troll (1937-1943). Before I discuss this typological framework of classical plant morphology, a few comments on the fundamental importance and relevance of plant morphology in general.
Elemente der Naturwissenschaft 108: 55-79, 2018
It is shown how morphological research is influenced by philosophical assumptions, including worl... more It is shown how morphological research is influenced by philosophical assumptions, including worldviews, and how empirical research may affect these assumptions and worldviews. The following nine worldviews are examined: essentialism, including phenomenology, mechanism, the fuzzy worldview (the continuum view), the dynamic worldview (also referred to as contextualism and process philosophy), holism or the holistic world view (also called organicism), the generating-substance worldview, animism, mysticism, and perspectivism. Goethe, “the all-embracing Goethe” (Cusset 1982), embraced all of these worldviews. However, in view of the results of modern morphological research, molecular genetics and evo-devo (evolutionary developmental biology) Goethe’s essentialism, the claim that all lateral appendages are “one and the same organ,” seems no longer generally tenable. But his demonstration of a continuum between lateral appendages and all plant organs including the stem and root (“Alles is Blatt,” i.e. all is leaf) remains a lasting and important contribution as well as his dynamic approach that emphasized processes such as expansion and contraction (“Ausdehnen und Zusammenziehen”), polarization and enhancement (“Steigerung”) in an underlying unity (wholeness). In general, among Goethe’s great and lasting contributions are his perspectivism, his dynamic and holistic outlook, his delicate empiricism, and his emphasis of the mysterious (“das Geheimnis,” “das Unbeschreibliche,” “das Unbegreifbare”). Recognizing the mystery, the challenge of present day morphology is to develop a holodynamic approach that can adequately cope with the whole diversity of plant form and in addition to the physical body of plants will also include their subtle bodies or energies that manifest in auras. When we try to fit all plant forms into mutually exclusive structural categories such as root, stem, and leaf, we will encounter forms that do not fit (misfits) because they have diverged too much from the categories. This problem or rather pseudo-problem can be overcome by the concepts of partial homology, mixed homology, combinatorial homology and a process-morphological version of the theory of anaphytosis according to which the diversity of plant form is understood in terms of branching and articulation. Branching means the formation of a new growth center, which may develop into a shoot or any other structure. It leads to articulation, the formation of articles (called anaphytes) between the points of branching. If the articles (anaphytes) are understood in terms of process morphology, we have a modern version of the theory of anaphytosis that can deal dynamically with the whole diversity of plant form including algae, bryophytes, and vascular plants. There will be no more misfits because all forms fit if they are understood in terms of branching and articulation. A unicellular organism or a simple unbranched alga consist only of one article (anaphyte), whereas branched plants constitute a system of articles (anaphytes). Individual articles as well as a whole system of articles can be seen as process combinations. This modern process-morphological version of the theory of anaphytosis may be called peaceful plant morphology because it transcends endless struggles to force misfits into one or the other category, which entails violence and has often led to animosities among plant morphologists. Perspectivism can also lead to peaceful reconciliation. Therefore, those who cannot accept the modern version of the theory of anaphytosis as a satisfactory solution may at least see it as another perspective on the diversity of plant form. Korzybski’s map analogy explained through his structural differential, Buddhist and Jaina logic as well as fuzzy logic can be very helpful in this respect.
Journal of Theoretical Biology, 1992
This study presents the quantification of process morphology by means of multivariate analysis, p... more This study presents the quantification of process morphology by means of multivariate analysis, particularly discriminant analysis (DA) and principal components analysis (PCA). According to process morphology, form is process. This process is analyzed in terms of 13 parameters (variables) of growth. The values of these parameters, which are quantified, represent specific processes such as determinate or indeterminate growth, radial or dorsiventral growth, branching or Iobing, etc. Any particular structures such as a thallus, a telome, a stem, or a leaf is seen as a specific combination of the specific processes. Process combinations representing a wide variety of typical and atypical or controversial structures of flowering plants as well as typical structures of other plant groups (a thallus, a telome, an enation, a microphyll and megaphylls) were selected. DA and PCA were then used to quantitatively determine the relations of these process combinations. The general picture that emerged is a patterned continuum. The pattern is due to the fact that some regions of the continuum are much denser than others, i.e. they are occupied by a greater number of process combinations. Obviously the dense regions are those process combinations representing the structural categories, root, stem/shoot, leaf, trichome as well as thallus, telome and others. Since the emphasis in this study was on flowering plants, the relations of process combinations in algae, bryophytes and more primitive vascular plants were not demonstrated in detail. However, the present approach could be used to establish evolutionary change in the pattern of process combinations. It also provides a basis for phylogenetic reconstruction if one agrees that phylogeny is a change in the dynamics of successive ontogenies. this approach, form is process. As this process is analyzed, two pairs of processes are distinguished: growth and decay, differentiation and dedifferentiation. In this 147
Taxon, 1987
Page 1. J. Genet., Vol. 67, No. 3, December 1988, pp. 173-178. © Printed in India. BOOK REVIEW Mi... more Page 1. J. Genet., Vol. 67, No. 3, December 1988, pp. 173-178. © Printed in India. BOOK REVIEW Mind from Matter? An Essay on Evolutionary Epistemology By MAX DELBRÜCK; edited by Günther S Stent. Blackwell Scientific Publica-tions; 290 pp; Price: $ 14-95. ...
Sattler R. 1986 Biophilosophy. Analytic and holistic perspectives. Berlin, etc.: Springer Verlag ... more Sattler R. 1986 Biophilosophy. Analytic and holistic perspectives. Berlin, etc.: Springer Verlag 284 pp.. Chaps. on: theories and hypotheses; laws; facts; concepts and classification; comparative plant morphology: a biophilosophical case study; causality, determinism and ...
Berichte Der Deutschen Botanischen Gesellschaft, Oct 1, 1977
ZusammenfassungBei Solanum dulcamara werden die fünf Petalen als getrennte Primordien angelegt. W... more ZusammenfassungBei Solanum dulcamara werden die fünf Petalen als getrennte Primordien angelegt. Während ihres Heranwachsens werden Randmeristeme unterscheidbar. Diese Randmeristeme dehnen sich in die Regionen zwischen benachbarten Kronblattprimordien aus und vereinigen sich dort. Auf diese Weise wird die Kronröhre durch einen Vorgang der Randmeristemfusion angelegt. Sowohl die Randmeristeme als auch ihre Fusion wurden quantitativ durch Unterschiede im mitotischen Index bestimmt. Lebende Blütenknospen wurden mit Colchicin behandelt, um genügend Metaphasen für eine signifikante Berechnung des mitotischen Index anzuhäufen.Im Hinblick auf “kongenitale Verwachsung” kann man verschiedene Folgerungen ziehen. 1. Man kann argumentieren, daß Meristemfusion keine “kongenitale Verwachsung” ist, da erstere ontogenetisch beobachtbar ist, während letztere per Definition ontogenetisch als Verwachsung nicht beobachtbar ist. 2. Man kann “kongenitale Verwachsung” so definieren, daß sie beobachtbare Vorgänge wie Meristemfusion und nicht beobachtbare Verwachsungen einschließt. Ein solcher Begriff der “kongenitalen Verwachsung” würde ontogenetische, phylogenetische und metaphysische Verwachsungen charakterisieren. Um diese Heterogenität und die metaphysischen Aspekte zu eliminieren, wird als allgemeiner Oberbegriff der Begriff der relativen “Kontinuität” vorgeschlagen. Kontinuität kann das Ergebnis von “Oberflächenverwachsung” (traditionell als “postgenitale Verwachsung” bezeichnet), “Heterotopic” und/oder “interprimordialem Wachstum” sein. Extremfälle interprimordialen Wachstums sind verursacht durch Vorgänge wie Meristemfusion (Abb. 2 b, c, e), Entstehung gemeinsamer Meristeme (Abb. 2 d, f, g) und Meristemausdehnung (Abb. 2 i). Einige dieser Modi können als ontogenetische (Abb. 2 b, c, e) oder phylogenetische Verwachsungen (Abb. 2 a, a', d, f) bezeichnet werden, während andere mit Verwachsung überhaupt nichts zu tun haben (Abb. 2 g, h, i). Aus diesem Grunde ist “interprimordiales Wachstum” ein wesentlich allgemeinerer Begriff als die ontogenetischen und phylogenetischen Bedeutungen der “kongenitalen Verwachsung”. Da man Übergangsformen zwischen den Modi der Abbildung 2 in Betracht ziehen muß, kann sich die Unterscheidung von Fusionen und nicht-Fusionsprozessen verwischen. Es ist deshalb angemessener, Fälle des interprimordialen Wachstums als das Ergebnis kontinuierlicher oder diskontinuierlicher Änderungen der räumlichen und zeitlichen Wachstumsverteilung anzusehen. Selbst ein wissenschaftlicher Begriff der “kongenitalen Verwachsung” oder der “phylogenetischen Verwachsung” kann dann bestenfalls einen sehr beschränkten Anwendungsbereich haben, falls man ihn überhaupt verwenden will.
American Journal of Botany, 1988
The floral apex is transformed into the terminal ovule.
Canadian Journal of Botany
In this developmental investigation of Utricularia foliosa and U. australis by means of scanning ... more In this developmental investigation of Utricularia foliosa and U. australis by means of scanning electron microscopy we demonstrate the relativity of morphological facts and descriptions. We provide several descriptions in terms of the structural categories "stem" and '"leaf." These contrasting, if not contradictory, descriptions are complementary to each other, i.e., they present different aspects of the unusual complexity of these species. In addition to these structural descriptions, we provide a dynamic description in terms of process morphology. According to this dynamic approach, each form is seen as a process combination. Structural change during ontogeny and phylogeny is a change in process combinations. From this point of view, the unusual process combinations of the two Utricularia species do not pose a morphological problem, although they cannot be clearly assigned to mutually exclusive categories such as stem and leaf. In addition to the clarifica...
Journal of Theoretical Biology, 1974
... Nat., Bot. 12, 209. CHAMPAGNAT, M. BLATTERON, S. (1966). Revue gin. Bot. 72, 85. CHAMPAGNAT, ... more ... Nat., Bot. 12, 209. CHAMPAGNAT, M. BLATTERON, S. (1966). Revue gin. Bot. 72, 85. CHAMPAGNAT, M., MARICHAL, J. VINCENT, C. (1962). Mim. ... Fr. 32. CHAMPAGNAT, M., MOREL, G., CHAEUT, P. COGNET, AM .(1966). Revue gin. Bot. 73, 706. CHAMPAGNAT, P. (1961). ...
Journal of Theoretical Biology, 1967
This comparative study is based on seven cases of petal inception which differ mainly in their re... more This comparative study is based on seven cases of petal inception which differ mainly in their relative position with respect to the stamen primordia ( . By means of our ordinary botanical language the seven cases may be classified into mutually exclusive patterns. However, this kind of classification (homologization) leads to contradictory and ambiguous conclusions. Therefore a conceptual model is proposed which overcomes these inadequacies ). In this model the concepts "primordium I and II" are used instead of "petal" and "stamen" primordium. It is shown that in all seven cases after the formation of primordium I, a primordium II is initiated in different locations. The differences between any two of the seven cases can be understood quantitatively as the distance between the sites of primordium II inception. In all cases the outer primordium, whether it is primordium I or II, develops into the petal. Some of the conclusions are the following.
Canadian Journal of Botany, 1973
The floral apex is transformed into the terminal ovule. Several interpretations are discussed.
Canadian Journal of Botany, 1992
Canadian Journal of Botany, 1983
This new book by Rolf Sattler examines widespread misconceptions about science and their devastat... more This new book by Rolf Sattler examines widespread misconceptions about science and their devastating consequences that have also been evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. The misconceptions also prevent us from seeing beyond science.
3 views
Kaplan's Principles of Plant Morphology: A Critical Review, 2022
is a monumental work of 1305 pages in a large format. It presents a wealth of well-organized morp... more is a monumental work of 1305 pages in a large format. It presents a wealth of well-organized morphological data that are relevant not only to plant morphology but also to many other fields such as plant genetics, molecular biology, evolution, systematics, biodiversity, crop science, etc. The interpretations of the data are in terms of classical plant morphology, a rigid typological framework that Kaplan adopted from Troll (1937-1943). Before I discuss this typological framework of classical plant morphology, a few comments on the fundamental importance and relevance of plant morphology in general.
Elemente der Naturwissenschaft 108: 55-79, 2018
It is shown how morphological research is influenced by philosophical assumptions, including worl... more It is shown how morphological research is influenced by philosophical assumptions, including worldviews, and how empirical research may affect these assumptions and worldviews. The following nine worldviews are examined: essentialism, including phenomenology, mechanism, the fuzzy worldview (the continuum view), the dynamic worldview (also referred to as contextualism and process philosophy), holism or the holistic world view (also called organicism), the generating-substance worldview, animism, mysticism, and perspectivism. Goethe, “the all-embracing Goethe” (Cusset 1982), embraced all of these worldviews. However, in view of the results of modern morphological research, molecular genetics and evo-devo (evolutionary developmental biology) Goethe’s essentialism, the claim that all lateral appendages are “one and the same organ,” seems no longer generally tenable. But his demonstration of a continuum between lateral appendages and all plant organs including the stem and root (“Alles is Blatt,” i.e. all is leaf) remains a lasting and important contribution as well as his dynamic approach that emphasized processes such as expansion and contraction (“Ausdehnen und Zusammenziehen”), polarization and enhancement (“Steigerung”) in an underlying unity (wholeness). In general, among Goethe’s great and lasting contributions are his perspectivism, his dynamic and holistic outlook, his delicate empiricism, and his emphasis of the mysterious (“das Geheimnis,” “das Unbeschreibliche,” “das Unbegreifbare”). Recognizing the mystery, the challenge of present day morphology is to develop a holodynamic approach that can adequately cope with the whole diversity of plant form and in addition to the physical body of plants will also include their subtle bodies or energies that manifest in auras. When we try to fit all plant forms into mutually exclusive structural categories such as root, stem, and leaf, we will encounter forms that do not fit (misfits) because they have diverged too much from the categories. This problem or rather pseudo-problem can be overcome by the concepts of partial homology, mixed homology, combinatorial homology and a process-morphological version of the theory of anaphytosis according to which the diversity of plant form is understood in terms of branching and articulation. Branching means the formation of a new growth center, which may develop into a shoot or any other structure. It leads to articulation, the formation of articles (called anaphytes) between the points of branching. If the articles (anaphytes) are understood in terms of process morphology, we have a modern version of the theory of anaphytosis that can deal dynamically with the whole diversity of plant form including algae, bryophytes, and vascular plants. There will be no more misfits because all forms fit if they are understood in terms of branching and articulation. A unicellular organism or a simple unbranched alga consist only of one article (anaphyte), whereas branched plants constitute a system of articles (anaphytes). Individual articles as well as a whole system of articles can be seen as process combinations. This modern process-morphological version of the theory of anaphytosis may be called peaceful plant morphology because it transcends endless struggles to force misfits into one or the other category, which entails violence and has often led to animosities among plant morphologists. Perspectivism can also lead to peaceful reconciliation. Therefore, those who cannot accept the modern version of the theory of anaphytosis as a satisfactory solution may at least see it as another perspective on the diversity of plant form. Korzybski’s map analogy explained through his structural differential, Buddhist and Jaina logic as well as fuzzy logic can be very helpful in this respect.
Journal of Theoretical Biology, 1992
This study presents the quantification of process morphology by means of multivariate analysis, p... more This study presents the quantification of process morphology by means of multivariate analysis, particularly discriminant analysis (DA) and principal components analysis (PCA). According to process morphology, form is process. This process is analyzed in terms of 13 parameters (variables) of growth. The values of these parameters, which are quantified, represent specific processes such as determinate or indeterminate growth, radial or dorsiventral growth, branching or Iobing, etc. Any particular structures such as a thallus, a telome, a stem, or a leaf is seen as a specific combination of the specific processes. Process combinations representing a wide variety of typical and atypical or controversial structures of flowering plants as well as typical structures of other plant groups (a thallus, a telome, an enation, a microphyll and megaphylls) were selected. DA and PCA were then used to quantitatively determine the relations of these process combinations. The general picture that emerged is a patterned continuum. The pattern is due to the fact that some regions of the continuum are much denser than others, i.e. they are occupied by a greater number of process combinations. Obviously the dense regions are those process combinations representing the structural categories, root, stem/shoot, leaf, trichome as well as thallus, telome and others. Since the emphasis in this study was on flowering plants, the relations of process combinations in algae, bryophytes and more primitive vascular plants were not demonstrated in detail. However, the present approach could be used to establish evolutionary change in the pattern of process combinations. It also provides a basis for phylogenetic reconstruction if one agrees that phylogeny is a change in the dynamics of successive ontogenies. this approach, form is process. As this process is analyzed, two pairs of processes are distinguished: growth and decay, differentiation and dedifferentiation. In this 147
Taxon, 1987
Page 1. J. Genet., Vol. 67, No. 3, December 1988, pp. 173-178. © Printed in India. BOOK REVIEW Mi... more Page 1. J. Genet., Vol. 67, No. 3, December 1988, pp. 173-178. © Printed in India. BOOK REVIEW Mind from Matter? An Essay on Evolutionary Epistemology By MAX DELBRÜCK; edited by Günther S Stent. Blackwell Scientific Publica-tions; 290 pp; Price: $ 14-95. ...
Sattler R. 1986 Biophilosophy. Analytic and holistic perspectives. Berlin, etc.: Springer Verlag ... more Sattler R. 1986 Biophilosophy. Analytic and holistic perspectives. Berlin, etc.: Springer Verlag 284 pp.. Chaps. on: theories and hypotheses; laws; facts; concepts and classification; comparative plant morphology: a biophilosophical case study; causality, determinism and ...
Berichte Der Deutschen Botanischen Gesellschaft, Oct 1, 1977
ZusammenfassungBei Solanum dulcamara werden die fünf Petalen als getrennte Primordien angelegt. W... more ZusammenfassungBei Solanum dulcamara werden die fünf Petalen als getrennte Primordien angelegt. Während ihres Heranwachsens werden Randmeristeme unterscheidbar. Diese Randmeristeme dehnen sich in die Regionen zwischen benachbarten Kronblattprimordien aus und vereinigen sich dort. Auf diese Weise wird die Kronröhre durch einen Vorgang der Randmeristemfusion angelegt. Sowohl die Randmeristeme als auch ihre Fusion wurden quantitativ durch Unterschiede im mitotischen Index bestimmt. Lebende Blütenknospen wurden mit Colchicin behandelt, um genügend Metaphasen für eine signifikante Berechnung des mitotischen Index anzuhäufen.Im Hinblick auf “kongenitale Verwachsung” kann man verschiedene Folgerungen ziehen. 1. Man kann argumentieren, daß Meristemfusion keine “kongenitale Verwachsung” ist, da erstere ontogenetisch beobachtbar ist, während letztere per Definition ontogenetisch als Verwachsung nicht beobachtbar ist. 2. Man kann “kongenitale Verwachsung” so definieren, daß sie beobachtbare Vorgänge wie Meristemfusion und nicht beobachtbare Verwachsungen einschließt. Ein solcher Begriff der “kongenitalen Verwachsung” würde ontogenetische, phylogenetische und metaphysische Verwachsungen charakterisieren. Um diese Heterogenität und die metaphysischen Aspekte zu eliminieren, wird als allgemeiner Oberbegriff der Begriff der relativen “Kontinuität” vorgeschlagen. Kontinuität kann das Ergebnis von “Oberflächenverwachsung” (traditionell als “postgenitale Verwachsung” bezeichnet), “Heterotopic” und/oder “interprimordialem Wachstum” sein. Extremfälle interprimordialen Wachstums sind verursacht durch Vorgänge wie Meristemfusion (Abb. 2 b, c, e), Entstehung gemeinsamer Meristeme (Abb. 2 d, f, g) und Meristemausdehnung (Abb. 2 i). Einige dieser Modi können als ontogenetische (Abb. 2 b, c, e) oder phylogenetische Verwachsungen (Abb. 2 a, a', d, f) bezeichnet werden, während andere mit Verwachsung überhaupt nichts zu tun haben (Abb. 2 g, h, i). Aus diesem Grunde ist “interprimordiales Wachstum” ein wesentlich allgemeinerer Begriff als die ontogenetischen und phylogenetischen Bedeutungen der “kongenitalen Verwachsung”. Da man Übergangsformen zwischen den Modi der Abbildung 2 in Betracht ziehen muß, kann sich die Unterscheidung von Fusionen und nicht-Fusionsprozessen verwischen. Es ist deshalb angemessener, Fälle des interprimordialen Wachstums als das Ergebnis kontinuierlicher oder diskontinuierlicher Änderungen der räumlichen und zeitlichen Wachstumsverteilung anzusehen. Selbst ein wissenschaftlicher Begriff der “kongenitalen Verwachsung” oder der “phylogenetischen Verwachsung” kann dann bestenfalls einen sehr beschränkten Anwendungsbereich haben, falls man ihn überhaupt verwenden will.
American Journal of Botany, 1988
The floral apex is transformed into the terminal ovule.
Canadian Journal of Botany
In this developmental investigation of Utricularia foliosa and U. australis by means of scanning ... more In this developmental investigation of Utricularia foliosa and U. australis by means of scanning electron microscopy we demonstrate the relativity of morphological facts and descriptions. We provide several descriptions in terms of the structural categories "stem" and '"leaf." These contrasting, if not contradictory, descriptions are complementary to each other, i.e., they present different aspects of the unusual complexity of these species. In addition to these structural descriptions, we provide a dynamic description in terms of process morphology. According to this dynamic approach, each form is seen as a process combination. Structural change during ontogeny and phylogeny is a change in process combinations. From this point of view, the unusual process combinations of the two Utricularia species do not pose a morphological problem, although they cannot be clearly assigned to mutually exclusive categories such as stem and leaf. In addition to the clarifica...
Journal of Theoretical Biology, 1974
... Nat., Bot. 12, 209. CHAMPAGNAT, M. BLATTERON, S. (1966). Revue gin. Bot. 72, 85. CHAMPAGNAT, ... more ... Nat., Bot. 12, 209. CHAMPAGNAT, M. BLATTERON, S. (1966). Revue gin. Bot. 72, 85. CHAMPAGNAT, M., MARICHAL, J. VINCENT, C. (1962). Mim. ... Fr. 32. CHAMPAGNAT, M., MOREL, G., CHAEUT, P. COGNET, AM .(1966). Revue gin. Bot. 73, 706. CHAMPAGNAT, P. (1961). ...
Journal of Theoretical Biology, 1967
This comparative study is based on seven cases of petal inception which differ mainly in their re... more This comparative study is based on seven cases of petal inception which differ mainly in their relative position with respect to the stamen primordia ( . By means of our ordinary botanical language the seven cases may be classified into mutually exclusive patterns. However, this kind of classification (homologization) leads to contradictory and ambiguous conclusions. Therefore a conceptual model is proposed which overcomes these inadequacies ). In this model the concepts "primordium I and II" are used instead of "petal" and "stamen" primordium. It is shown that in all seven cases after the formation of primordium I, a primordium II is initiated in different locations. The differences between any two of the seven cases can be understood quantitatively as the distance between the sites of primordium II inception. In all cases the outer primordium, whether it is primordium I or II, develops into the petal. Some of the conclusions are the following.
Canadian Journal of Botany, 1973
The floral apex is transformed into the terminal ovule. Several interpretations are discussed.
Canadian Journal of Botany, 1992
Canadian Journal of Botany, 1983
Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 1987
Fundamentals of plant morphology and evo-devo (evolutionary developmental biology), 2023
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/1/118/pdf, 2023
Morphological concepts are used in plant evo-devo (evolutionary developmental biology) and other ... more Morphological concepts are used in plant evo-devo (evolutionary developmental biology) and other disciplines of plant biology, and therefore plant morphology is relevant to all of these disciplines. Many plant biologists still rely on classical morphology, according to which there are only three mutually exclusive organ categories in vascular plants such as flowering plants: root, stem (caulome), and leaf (phyllome). Continuum morphology recognizes a continuum between these organ categories. Instead of Aristotelian identity and either/or logic, it is based on fuzzy logic, according to which membership in a category is a matter of degree. Hence, an organ in flowering plants may be a root, stem, or leaf to some degree. Homology then also becomes a matter of degree. Process morphology supersedes structure/process dualism. Hence, structures do not have processes, they are processes, which means they are process combinations. These process combinations may change during ontogeny and phylogeny. Although classical morphology on the one hand and continuum and process morphology on the other use different kinds of logic, they can be considered complementary and thus together they present a more inclusive picture of the diversity of plant form than any one of the three alone. However, continuum and process morphology are more comprehensive than classical morphology. Insights gained from continuum and process morphology can inspire research in plant morphology and plant evo-devo, especially MorphoEvoDevo.
Series in Mathematical Biology and Medicine, 1998
Kaplan's Principles of Plant Morphology: A Critical Review, 2022
is a monumental work of 1305 pages in a large format. It presents a wealth of well-organized morp... more is a monumental work of 1305 pages in a large format. It presents a wealth of well-organized morphological data that are relevant not only to plant morphology but also to many other fields such as plant genetics, molecular biology, evolution, systematics, biodiversity, crop science, etc. The interpretations of the data are in terms of classical plant morphology, a rigid typological framework that Kaplan adopted from Troll (1937-1943). Before I discuss this typological framework of classical plant morphology, a few comments on the fundamental importance and relevance of plant morphology in general.
Plant Evo-Devo of the Gynoecium, 2023
Plant Evo-Devo investigates the evolution of plant development. It integrates morphology, molecul... more Plant Evo-Devo investigates the evolution of plant development. It integrates morphology, molecular genetics and evolutionary theory. MorphoEvoDevo emphasizes the morphological aspects of evo-devo (Wanninger 2015). In this article, the focus will be on MorphoEvoDevo. Hence, the focus will be on the morphological evolutionary changes in the development of the gynoecium, which, according to mainstream thinking, consists of carpels. Definition of the Carpel According to mainstream thinking (classical morphology), a carpel is an appendage that bears and encloses ovule(s). In other words, it is a folded megasporophyll (e.g., Endress 2019; Kaplan 2022). Brückner (2000) documented 10 different interpretations of the carpel or gynoecial unit based on different interpretations of the gynoecium, its appendages, and its evolutionary and phylogenetic origin.