A whorl ( or ) is an individual

circle A circle is a shape consisting of all point (geometry), points in a plane (mathematics), plane that are at a given distance from a given point, the Centre (geometry), centre. The distance between any point of the circle and the centre is cal ...

oval An oval () is a closed curve in a plane which resembles the outline of an egg. The term is not very specific, but in some areas of mathematics (projective geometry, technical drawing, etc.), it is given a more precise definition, which may inc ...

, volution or equivalent in a whorled pattern, which consists of a

spiral In mathematics, a spiral is a curve which emanates from a point, moving further away as it revolves around the point. It is a subtype of whorled patterns, a broad group that also includes concentric objects. Two-dimensional A two-dimension ...

or multiple concentric objects (including

s and arcs).

In nature

File:Photograph and axial plane floral diagram of Friesodielsia desmoides.jpg, Botanical whorls: sepals, petals, leaves, or branches radiating from a single point (photo of flower of Friesodielsia desmoides, family

Annonaceae The Annonaceae are a Family (biology), family of flowering plants consisting of trees, shrubs, or rarely lianas commonly known as the custard apple family or soursop family. With 108 accepted genera and about 2400 known species, it is the largest ...

, juxtaposed with diagram of axial cross-section) File:Anisus septegyrus1pl.jpg, Mollusc whorls: Each complete 360° turn in the spiral growth of the shell of the mollusc Anisus septemgyratus, family

Planorbidae Planorbidae, common name the ramshorn snails or ram's horn snails, is a family (biology), family of air-breathing freshwater snails, Aquatic animal, aquatic pulmonate gastropod Mollusca, molluscs. Unlike most molluscs, the blood of ram's horn sn ...

. File:Baby hairy head DSCN2483.jpg, A hair whorl is a patch of

hair Hair is a protein filament that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Hair is one of the defining characteristics of mammals. The human body, apart from areas of glabrous skin, is covered in follicles which produce thick terminal and ...

growing in a circular direction around a visible center point. File:Fingerprint Whorl.jpg, In a

fingerprint A fingerprint is an impression left by the friction ridges of a human finger. The recovery of partial fingerprints from a crime scene is an important method of forensic science. Moisture and grease on a finger result in fingerprints on surfa ...

, a whorl is each ridge arranged circularly around a central point on the finger. File:Bovine Bone Sample and 430 times Magnification.jpg, In histopathologic architecture, a whorled pattern consists of multiple concentric objects, or a spiral-shaped pattern.

Bone A bone is a rigid organ that constitutes part of the skeleton in most vertebrate animals. Bones protect the various other organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells, store minerals, provide structure and support for the body, ...

tissue is shown. For mollusc whorls, the

body whorl The body whorl is part of the morphology (biology), morphology of the gastropod shell, shell in those gastropod mollusks that possess a coiled shell. The term is also sometimes used in a similar way to describe the shell of a cephalopod mollusk ...

in a mollusc shell is the most recently formed whorl of a spiral shell, terminating in the aperture.

Artificial objects

> File:Spindle Whorl (Sulsultin), 19th century, 05.588.7382.jpg, A spindle whorl is a disc or spherical object fitted onto the spindle to increase and maintain the speed of the spin.

References

External links

* Patterns Geometric shapes {{Geometry-stub

In nature

Artificial objects

See also

References

External links