Graphical modeling using L-systems

Lindenmayer systems — or L-systems for short — were conceived as a mathematical theory of plant development [82]. Originally, they did not include enough detail to allow for comprehensive modeling of higher plants. The emphasis was on plant topology, that is, the neighborhood relations between cells or larger plant modules. Their geometric aspects were beyond the scope of the theory Subsequently, several geometric interpretations of L-systems were proposed with a view to turning them into a versatile tool for plant modeling. Throughout this book, an interpretation based on turtle geometry is used [109]. Basic notions related to L-system theory and their turtle interpretation are presented below.