In botany, phyllotaxis or phyllotaxy's the arrangement of the leaves on the stem of a plant. Pattern structure The basic patterns are alternate, opposite, whorled or spiral. With an alternate pattern, leaves switch from side to side. An alternate distichous phyllotaxis means that each leaf growing at a single node's disposed in a single rank along the branch (such as in grasses). In an opposite pattern, two leaves grow in opposite directions from the same node. In an opposite pattern, if succe… (More on Phyllotaxis)