13: What are L-systems?
Description
This article is from the Fractal FAQ, by Ermel Stepp stepp@muvms6.mu.wvnet.edu with numerous contributions by others.
13: What are L-systems?
A L-system or Lindenmayer system is a formal grammar for
generating strings. (That is, it is a collection of rules such as replace
X with XYX.) By recursively applying the rules of the L-system to an
initial string, a string with fractal structure can be created. Interpreting
this string as a set of graphical commands allows the fractal to be displayed.
L-systems are very useful for generating realistic plant structures.
Some references are:
1. P. Prusinkiewicz and J. Hanan, _Lindenmayer Systems, Fractals, and
Plants_, Springer-Verlag, New York, 1989.
2. P. Prusinkiewicz and A. Lindenmayer, _The Algorithmic Beauty of
Plants_, Springer-Verlag, NY, 1990. ISBN 0-387-97297-8. A very good
book on L-systems, which can be used to model plants in a very realistic
fashion. The book contains many pictures.
More information can be obtained via the WWW at:
http://life.anu.edu.au/complex_systems/tutorial2.html Tutorial
gopher://life.anu.edu.au:70/I9/.WWW/complex_systems/leaf.gif L-system
leaf
http://hill.lut.ac.uk:80/TestStuff/trees/ 3 Dim. L-system Tree program
(P.J.Drinkwater)
http://www.geom.umn.edu/pix/archive/subjects/L-systems.html L-system
images.
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