Özdemir A.

Geometric model of microscopic raphide crystals in plant cells

Abstract In the present study, we showed that the microscopic structures of some plant crystals have the geometric model and mathematical formulas. Plant crystals are the storage of many mineral acid salts in many plants, such as chloride, phosphate, carbonate, silicate anhydrides and sulfates, formed due to metabolism. The crystals formed take different shapes. The shaping of plant crystals is not a simple structure. They are created in specific shapes and sizes by this biomineralisation process. Seventy-five per cent of flowering plants make one or more kinds of crystals. One of these is called a raphide crystal. Our study determined that the microscopic structures of some raphide crystals show the elongated triangular bipyramid that is a mathematics definition. In geometry, the elongated triangular bipyramid is one of the Johnson solids (J₁₄), convex polyhedra, whose faces are regular polygons. At the same time, it was determined that the crystals show a minimal surface feature. The feature takes an essential place in geometry. The minimal surface feature provides the advantages of resistance and minimal space occupation to the crystals

Doi https://doi.org/10.35513/Botlit.2021.1.7

Keywords elongated triangular bipyramid, geometric model, minimal surface, raphide crystal

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