XVI International Botanical Congess

We revisit the notion of architectural tree models introduced by Halle, Oldeman, and Tomlinson, and apply L-systems to provide their formal characterization. The benefits of this formalization are: (a) visualization of the basic concepts of tree architecture using computer simulations and animations, (b) a new mathematical framework for exploring the relationships between the models, (c) a blueprint for developing detailed functional-structural models of specific trees. L-systems provide a flexible language for constructing these models and conducting simulated experiments on them.