Plant bodies are composed of repeated motifs, modules, containing a stem internode and a node with a leaf and axillary bud. These modules together create shoots that are added and supplement older shoots, or that replace some older shoots during the lifespan of the plant. Where new shoots (i.e. branching) are formed, whether they are affected by flowering, how long shoots persist, and their relationship to roots determines plant architecture, which might be described as architectural models. Despite detailed classification of architectural models, we are only just beginning to use the principles of plant architecture for understanding plant functions, like clonal multiplication or bud bank building.