The architecture of few rhizomatous plants has been studied in any morphological detail: a great many of those which have been studied show highly organized and repetitive branching patterns. These branching patterns are largely confined to three basic types: those based on a ± 60° branching angle, those based on a ± 45° branching angle, and those with a predominately linear component. These various configurations must confer certain advantages in terms of substrate exploration and exploitation. The consistent architecture of many rhizomatous plants permits predictive graphic simulation of the branching patterns, and also permits estimates to be made of productivity in terms of meristem/shoot accumulation. As a background to this structural consideration of rhizomatous plants, an extensive bibliography is presented in an appendix, covering all aspects ot rhizomatous and stoloniferous growth.

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