Nutrient-limited growth with non-linear cell diffusion as a mechanism for floral pattern formation in yeast biofilms.

•We study floral pattern formation in yeast biofilms due to nutrient-limited growth.•Biofilm is modelled as a reaction–diffusion system with non-linear cell diffusion.•Travelling wave and stability analysis uncovers conditions for which petals can form.•The model effectively predicts petal formation in biofilm experiments.