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Euphorbia pseudocactus
Life and Mathematics. Pentagonal (5-fold) symmetry is forbidden for crystals (except quasicrystals) but nature is very fond of it.
Endemic from SouthAfrica, from KwaZulu-Natal. Picture shot at the Invernadero of the Palacio de Cristal de la Arganzuela, Madrid. Camera Model: NIKON D300 Exposure Time: 1/60 sec. f/8.0 ISO Speed Rating: 200 Focal Length: 90.0 mm Flash fired
Pseudocactus means similar to cactus.
Spotted on Feb 26, 2012
Submitted on Mar 6, 2012
4 Comments
Thanks Mayra
Great macro!
Thanks martini. It is also strange that it does not make spirals. It seems to me more simple to grow making a spiral than just extending the five-fold symmetry. In fact many flowers show five-fold symmetry, but mainly, I think, because they grow radially.
Fascinating observation. The background specimen in pic 2 shows Euphorbia is flexible and also happy with four (and maybe six and more) way radial symmetry. Plants love radial symmetry but few animals do, including echinoderms.