Do Plants Know Math?

“Winner of the PROSE Award in Popular Science and Mathematics, Association of American Publishers”“A work of both rigor and whimsy. Advancing chronologically, its narrative curls deep into scientific and historical detail.”—Siobhan Roberts, Wall Street Journal“Brilliant and lovely… . Filled with wondrous photographs and illustrations, this book will please, provoke and challenge what you think about nature, may you never take it for granted again.”—Jeffery Payne, The Colorado Sun“This book will be interesting to both mathematicians and gardeners.”—J. A. Bakal, Choice“A rewarding adventure for anyone interested in seeing how scientific understanding becomes more nuanced and complicated as a field develops.”—Christian Millichap, Math Horizons“Throughout the book, the authors … sprinkle in bits of whimsical fun.”—Erin N. Bodine, The American Mathematical Monthly“This handsome book unpicks the splendour of plant forms… . There are botanical wonders sprouting under all our noses, as unfurling garden ferns remind us.”—Jonathan Guthrie, Financial Times

Stephane Douady has researched plant patterns for thirty years and is a silver medalist CNRS director of research in the Matiere et Systemes Complexes laboratory at Paris Cite University.

Jacques Dumais works on plant-inspired technologies as a professor in the Faculty of Engineering and Science at Universidad Adolfo Ibez in Chile.

Christophe Gole runs the Plant Math Lab at Smith College, where he is a professor of mathematics.

Nancy Pick is a science writer whose books include The Rarest of the Rare, telling the stories behind the natural history collections at Harvard University.