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This arises from a hybrid cellular automaton on a triangular grid formed of I-toothpicks and V-toothpicks. Also, it appears that this is a missing link between A147562 (Ulam-Warburton) and three toothpick sequences: A139250 (normal toothpicks), A161206 (V-toothpicks) and A160120 (Y-toothpicks). The behavior resembles the toothpick sequence A139250, on the other hand, the formulas are directly related to A147562. Plot 2 shows that the graph is located between the graph of A139250 and the graph of A147562.

For the construction of the sequence the rules are as follows:

On the infinite triangular grid at stage 0 there are no toothpicks, so a(0) = 0.

At stage 1 we place an I-toothpick formed of two single toothpicks in vertical position, so a(1) = 1.

For the next n generation we have that:

If n is even then at every free end of the structure we add a V-toothpick formed of two single toothpicks such that the angle of each single toothpick with respect to the connected I-toothpick is 120 degrees.

If n is odd then we add I-toothpicks in vertical position (see the example).

a(n) gives the total number of I-toothpicks and V-toothpicks in the structure after the n-th stage.

A323651 (the first differences) gives the number of elements added at the n-th stage.

Note that 2*a(n) gives the total number of single toothpicks of length 1 after the n-th stage.

The structure contains only three kinds of polygonal regions as follows:

- Rhombuses that contain two triangular cells.

- Regular hexagons that contain six triangular cells.

- Oblong hexagons that contain 10 triangular cells.

The structure looks like a "garden of flowers with six petals" (between other substructures). In particular, after 2^(n+1) stages with n >= 0, the structure looks like a flower garden in a rectangular box which contains A002450(n) flowers with six petals.

Note that this hybrid cellular automaton is also a superstructure of the Ulam-Warburton cellular automaton (at least in four ways). The explanation is as follows:

1) A147562(n) equals the total number of I-toothpicks in the structure after 2*n - 1 stage, n >= 1.

2) A147562(n) equals the total number of pairs of Y-toothpicks connected by their endpoints in the structure after 2*n stage (see the example).

3) A147562(n) equals the total number of "flowers with six petals" (or six-pointed stars formed of six rhombuses) in the structure after 4*n stage. Note that the location of the "flowers with six petals" in the structure is essentially the same as the location of the "ON" cells in the version "one-step bishop" of A147562.

4) For more connections to A147562 see the Formula section.

The "word" of this cellular automaton is "ab". For more information about the word of cellular automata see A296612.

The total number of “flowers with six petals” after n-th stage equals the total number of “hidden crosses” after n-th stage in the toothpick structure of A139250, including the central cross (beginning to count the crosses when their “nuclei” are totally formed with 4 quadrilaterals). - Omar E. Pol, Mar 06 2019

For n = 0..17 the sequence is similar to the known toothpick sequences.

The surprising fact is that for n >= 18 the sequence has a periodic tail. More precisely, it has period 8: repeat [32, 80, 16, 16, 16, 64, 48, 48]. This tail is in accordance with the expansion of the four arms of the cross. The tail also can be written starting from the 20th stage, with period 8: repeat [16, 16, 16, 64, 48, 48, 32, 80], (see example).

This sequence is essentially the first differences of A289840. The behavior is similar to A290221 and A294021 in the sense that these three sequences from cellular automata have the property that after the initial terms the continuation is a periodic sequence. - Omar E. Pol, Oct 29 2017

The same as A172310 but starting with two L-toothpicks.

We start at stage 0 with no L-toothpicks.

At stage 1 we place two large L-toothpicks in the horizontal direction, as a "X", anywhere in the plane.

At stage 2 we place four small L-toothpicks.

At stage 3 we add eight more large L-toothpicks.

At stage 4 we add eight more small L-toothpicks.

And so on ...

The L-toothpick cellular automaton has an unusual property: the growths in its four wide wedges [North, East, South and West] have a recurrent behavior related to powers of 2, as we can find in other cellular automata (i.e., A212008). On the other hand, in its four narrow wedges [NE, SE, SW, NW] the behavior seems to be chaotic, without any recurrence, similar to the behavior of the snowflake cellular automaton of A161330. The remarkable fact is that with the same rules, different behaviors are produced. (See Applegate's movie version in the Links section.) - Omar E. Pol, Nov 06 2018

This is a toothpick sequence of forking paths to 135 degrees in the first quadrant. The sequence gives the number of toothpicks and D-toothpicks in the structure after n-th stage. A220525 (the first differences) give the number of toothpicks or D-toothpicks added at n-th stage. It appears that the structure has a fractal (or fractal-like) behavior. For more information see A194700.

First differs from A194444 at a(13).

It seems that this cellular automaton resembles the synthesis of a molecule, a protein, etc.

After 10th stage there are no exposed endpoints in the structure, so the structure is finished.

A294963(n) gives the number of elements added to the structure at n-th stage.

This is a toothpick sequence of forking paths to 135 degrees. The sequence gives the number of toothpicks and D-toothpicks in the structure after n-th stage. A221528 (the first differences) give the number of toothpicks or D-toothpicks added at n-th stage. It appears that the structure has a fractal (or fractal-like) behavior. For more information see A194700.

First differs from A194434 at a(13).

The D-toothpicks placed in northwest or northeast direction both are prohibited, except in the substructures in which the symmetry could be broken, so a(44) = 509, not 507. For another version with broken symmetry in some substructures see A233764. See also A231348, a simpler cellular automaton based in triangles which has essentially a similar structure.

A233781 (the first differences) gives the number of toothpicks or D-toothpicks added at n-th stage.

First differs from A169780 at a(24).

First differs from A233970 at a(25).

First differs from A233764 at a(44).

The structure is essentially the same as the finite structure described in A294962 but here there are no D-toothpicks of length sqrt(2)/2. All D-toothpicks in the structure have length sqrt(2).

The same as A294962, it seems that this cellular automaton resembles the synthesis of a molecule, a protein, etc.

After 10th stage there are no exposed endpoints (or free ends), so the structure is finished.

A299771(n) gives the number of elements added to the structure at n-th stage.

The "word" of this cellular automaton is "abcd". For further information about the word of cellular automata see A296612. - Omar E. Pol, Mar 05 2019

This cellular automaton uses elements of two sizes: toothpicks of length 1 and D-toothpicks of length 2^(1/2). Toothpicks are placed in horizontal or vertical direction. D-toothpicks are placed in diagonal direction. Toothpicks and D-toothpicks are connected by their endpoints.

On the infinite square grid we start with no elements.

At stage 1, place a single toothpick on the paper, aligned with the y-axis.

The rule for adding new elements is as follows. If it is possible, each exposed endpoint of the elements of the old generation must be touched by the two endpoints of two elements of the new generation such that the angle between the old element and each new element is equal to 135 degrees, otherwise each exposed endpoint of the elements of the old generation must be touched by an endpoint of an element of the new generation such that the angle between the old element and the new element is equal to 135 degrees. Intersections and overlapping are prohibited. The sequence gives the number of toothpicks and D-toothpicks in the structure after n-th stage. The first differences (A212009) give the number of toothpicks or D-toothpicks added at n-th stage.

It appears that if n >> 1 the structure looks like an octagon. This C.A. has a fractal (or fractal-like) behavior related to powers of 2. Note that for some values of n we can see an internal growth.

The structure contains eight wedges. Each vertical wedge also contains infinitely many copies of the oblique wedges. Each oblique wedge also contains infinitely many copies of the vertical wedges. Finally, each horizontal wedge also contains infinitely many copies of the vertical wedges and of the oblique wedges.

The structure appears to be a puzzle which contains at least 50 distinct internal regions (or polygonal pieces), and possibly more. Some of them appear for first time after 200 stages. The largest known polygon is a concave 24-gon.

Also the structure contains infinitely many copies of two subsets of distinct size which are formed by five polygons: three hexagons, a 9-gon and a pentagon. The distribution of these subsets have a surprising connection with the Sierpinski triangle A047999, but here the pattern is more complex.

For another version see A220500.

The structure is essentially one of the horizontal wedges of A220500. First differs from A194442 (and from A220522) at a(13). A220527 (the first differences) give the number of toothpicks or D-toothpicks added at n-th stage.