#FIBONACCI SEQUENCE IN NATURE SUNFLOWER FULL#

This permits the most efficient use of limited space while ensuring the maximum amount of sun and rain are available for each individually developing floret. The Receptacle of a sunflower has only limited space to grow and support the next generation of sunflowers, and to be successful as a plant family (Asteraceae), its floret buds and ultimately its seeds must develop as far away as possible from neighboring buds (seeds). How the sunflower flowerhead gets it’s spirals Pine cones are another object in nature clearly displaying the Fibonacci Sequence, 8 and 13 (back-to-back Sequence numbers). Try it! It works! Larger diameter sunflower heads have higher Sequence numbers (or a larger number of spirals like 89 and 144). Again, 34 and 55 are back-to-back in the Sequence. If you count 34 spirals in one direction, there will be 55 spirals going the other way. This is because 5 and 8 in the Fibonacci Sequence appear back to back. If you count 5 spirals going in one direction on the surface of the Receptacle, then there will be 8 spirals going in the other direction. Now bring your attention back to that dried sunflower head you’re holding. Each number in the sequence is derived from the sum of the two preceding numbers.

The Sequence itself is easy to understand. The Fibonacci Sequence was named after the 13th century Italian mathematician, Leonardo of Pisa, better known as Fibonacci. Right side of double journal page, the art of the dried sunflower However, some species may only have ray florets some may only have disk florets. It’s common for many species to display both ray (the outside ring) and disk (the center) florets. What appears at a glance to be a single flower, is in fact a collection of many small florets.

The anatomy of flowers in the aster (sunflower daisy) family, Asteraceae, is fascinating. After the seeds become airborne, all that’s usually left is a slicked off surface punctuated with dots arranged in spirals radiating out from the center.

#FIBONACCI SEQUENCE IN NATURE SUNFLOWER FULL#

Have you ever noticed how they look like another kind of sunflower? Papery textured “petals” circle a central disk where a few weeks ago it was crammed full of puffy parachute-topped seeds. It was during a hike on an unseasonably warm day that I paused to admire the dried flower heads from one of the late blooming sunflowers. That has saved us all a lot of trouble! Thank you Leonardo.įibonacci Day is November 23rd, as it has the digits '1, 1, 2, 3' which is part of the sequence.Double page post with an extra add on all art work done with Graphgear 1000 loaded with 0.3mm 2B lead and all inked lettering done with Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pen Fineliner, 0.3mm.

'Fibonacci' was his nickname, which roughly means 'Son of Bonacci'.Īs well as being famous for the Fibonacci Sequence, he helped spread Hindu-Arabic Numerals (like our present numbers 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) through Europe in place of Roman Numerals (I, II, III, IV, V, etc). His real name was Leonardo Pisano Bogollo, and he lived between 11 in Italy. Historyįibonacci was not the first to know about the sequence, it was known in India hundreds of years before! Which says that term '−n' is equal to (−1) n+1 times term 'n', and the value (−1) n+1 neatly makes the correct +1, −1, +1, −1. In fact the sequence below zero has the same numbers as the sequence above zero, except they follow a +-+. (Prove to yourself that each number is found by adding up the two numbers before it!)

Fibonacci sequence in nature sunflower