Morning Glory


At the human level we see it in living systems—the brain, arteries and veins, leaves and trees. Branching occurs in chemistry, for example, when carbon atoms are cross-linked to form the hard plastic used in safety glasses. Branching made computers and the Internet possible. Flying at night we can clearly see the extensive branching of highway systems. Railways branch. There’s branching in mathematics and geometry. And we speak of “branch libraries” and businesses with branch offices and facilities. The phenomenon occurs wherever there is connection and flow—cities and suburbs, electrical systens, plumbing and sewer systems, streams and rivers, erosion, sand dunes and musical tunes. It’s everywhere.

Reflecting on the above image, I observe order within the chaotic, irregular lines. There isn’t one straight line, and no two of them are alike or even aligned. Yet there is cohesion, functionality and aesthetics. Systemically, I see the “parent” channels carrying water and nutrients to “child” and sub-offspring channels throughout the leaf. A microscope would reveal that each of the barren looking “fields” in between channels actually consists of a myriad of more interconnecting and intercommunicating cells. For me, the intricacy and complexity of these connections and flow channels triggers a deep appreciation of this universal design pattern—seen on other celestial bodies—one that is economical, resilient and life-supporting.

I also appreciate the pattern’s grace and harmony. Absent the color, and knowledge of the subject, one could imagine an extensive farm land with interstate highways, roads and lanes running through it. Zooming in would reveal a heavily populated area with living, thinking, decision-making beings—individual cells that have unique needs, wants and aspirations relating to survival, development, personal space and relationships. And they function together in harmony, as a whole! There are no battlefields, no indication of intolerant, greedy or power-hungry cells. On the contrary, the visual evidence alone points to a system where sharing and collaboration are occurring throughout the field. Bring back the color and the overall fied is verdant—alive.

Might this pattern and process, which appeared on the Earth about 130 million years ago and is still viable today, suggest something to the way human social systems work most effectively?


The vigorous branching of life’s tree, and not the accumulating valor of mythical marches to progress, lies behind the persistence and expansion of organic diversity in our tough and constantly stressful world. And if we do not grasp the fundamental nature of branching as the key to life’s passage across the geological stage, we will never understand evolution aright.

Stephen Jay Gould

About This Image

Title: Morning Glory Leaf

File: DC 1102

Throughout the summer months, an enormous Morning Glory plant climbs a wooden lattice in our back yard. One clear and sunny day I saw its leaves backlit and exclaimed, “Wow!” I had a choice photographically: get my camera and shoot the leaves outside, or take a leaf inside and shoot it under more controlled conditions.

I’ve been consciously looking for and photographing examples of branching for many years. So when I saw this example, particularly with the white lines being so prominent, I decided. To maximize the branching pattern, and minimize both the surface and texture, I set the leaf on a light-table and weighted it down with a piece of glass to smooth out the wrinkles. With a macro lens on a digital camera I composed and took the shot using only the backlight. This particular leaf was magnificent, about ten inches wide. To enhance the white lines, I increased the overall contrast and boosted the highlights in Adobe Lightroom.





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