RESUMO
Mechanical forces acting within the plant body that can mold flower shape throughout development received little attention. The palette of action of these forces ranges from mechanical pressures on organ primordia at the microscopic level up to the twisting of a peduncle that promotes resupination of a flower at the macroscopic level. Here, we argue that without these forces acting during the ontogenetic process, the actual flower phenotype would not be achieved as it is. In this review, we concentrate on mechanical forces that occur at the microscopic level and determine the fate of the flower shape by the physical constraints on meristems at an early stage of development. We thus highlight the generative role of mechanical forces over the floral phenotype and underline our general view of flower development as the sum of interactions of known physiological and genetic processes, together with physical aspects and mechanical events that are entangled towards the shaping of the mature flower.
RESUMO
The development of new forms of thinking, that enables us to participate in the creative processes of nature, became one of the most important tasks for the present time and the future. With this aim, the author presents his research in the Natural Science Section at the Goetheanum (Glashaus). On Goethian basis, the correspondence between white-berried mistletoe (Viscum album L.) and its host tree (Malus domestica, Ulmus minor, Quercus robur, Tilia cordata and Pinus silvestris) was investigated, searching what kind of host tree qualities are expressed by the different mistletoe forms. The methodology was: field observation, photography, artistic exercises and literature research. Some general aspects of the five trees species and the respective mistletoe types were portrayed in terms of their Gestalt. Finally it was compared the types, looking for the polarities that can serve as a starting point for an understanding of the qualitative relationship between mistletoe and host tree. It was possible to gather some evidences to support the two hypotheses: there are resemblances in terms of Gestalt between host trees and mistletoes and there are polarities between the mistletoe varieties.(AU)
O desenvolvimento de novas formas de pensar, que nos permite participar dos processos criativos da natureza, tornou-se uma das tarefas mais importantes para nossa época e para o futuro. Com este objetivo, o autor apresenta sua pesquisa na Seção de Ciências Naturais no Goetheanum (Glashaus). Em bases goethianas, foi investigada a correspondência entre o Viscum album L. e suas árvores hospedeiras (Malus domestica, Ulmus minor, Quercus robur, Tilia cordata e Pinus silvestris), buscando quais tipos de qualidades da árvore hospedeira são expressas pelas diferentes formas de Viscum album. A metodologia foi: observação de campo, fotografia, exercícios artísticos e pesquisa literária. Alguns aspectos gerais das cinco espécies de árvores hospedeiras e os respectivos tipos de Viscum foram retratados em termos de 'Gestalt'. Finalmente, foram comparados os tipos, buscando polaridades que podem servir de ponto de partida para a compreensão da relação qualitativa entre o Viscum e a árvore hospedeira. Foi possível reunir algumas evidências para apoiar as duas hipóteses: há semelhanças em termos de 'Gestalt' entre as árvores hospedeiras e o Viscum album e há polaridades entre as variedades de Viscum album.(AU)
