MONOCOTYLEDON

Monocotyledons, also known as monocots, are one of two major groups of

flowering plants (or angiosperms) that are traditionally recognized, the other being
dicotyledons, or dicots. Monocot seedlings typically have one cotyledon (seed-leaf), in
contrast to the two cotyledons typical of dicots. Monocots have been recognized at
various taxonomic ranks, and under various names (see below). The APG II system
recognises a clade called "monocots" but does not assign it to a taxonomic rank.

The name monocotyledons is derived from the traditional botanical name

Monocotyledones, which derives from the fact that most members of this group have
one cotyledon, or embryonic leaf, in their seeds. By contrast, the traditional
dicotyledons typically have two cotyledons. From a diagnostic point of view the
number of cotyledons is neither a particularly handy (as they are only present for a
very short period in a plant's life), nor totally reliable character.

Nevertheless, monocots are a distinctive group.[4] One of the most noticeable

traits is that a monocot's flower is trimerous, with the flower parts in threes or in
multiples of three. That is to say, a monocotyledon's flower typically has three, six,
or nine petals. Many monocots also have leaves with parallel veins.
 The leaves of monocots are often long and narrow, with their veins in straight
lines up and down the leaf. Sometimes, the veins run from the centre of the leaf to
the edge, parallel to one another.

BANANA LEAF

FORTUNE LEAF
 CANNA LEAF

WASHINGTONIA LEAF
 The parts of the flower of monocots are in threes. The sepals are often the
same colour as the petals, making it look as if the flower has six petals. There are
usually the same number of stamens as petals.

CYRTANTHUS

AGAPANTHUS
WATER LILY

TULIP
MONOCOT PLANT

PALM TREE

ARACEAE
 DICOTYLEDONS
The dicotyledons, also known as dicots, are a group of flowering plants whose
seed typically has two embryonic leaves or cotyledons. There are around 199,350
species within this group.[1] Flowering plants that are not dicotyledons are
monocotyledons, typically having one embryonic leaf.

Dicotyledons are not a monophyletic group, and therefore the names

"dicotyledons" and "dicots" are, strictly speaking, deprecated. However, the vast
majority of "dicots" do form a monophyletic group called the eudicots or tricolpates.
These may be distinguished from all other flowering plants by the structure of their
pollen. Other dicotyledons and monocotyledons have monosulcate pollen, or forms
derived from it, whereas eudicots have tricolpate pollen, or derived forms, the pollen
having three or more pores set in furrows called colpi.

Traditionally the dicots have been called the Dicotyledones (or

Dicotyledoneae), at any rank. If treated as a class, as in the Cronquist system, they
may be called the Magnoliopsida after the type genus Magnolia. In some schemes,
the eudicots are treated as a separate class, the Rosopsida (type genus Rosa), or as
several separate classes. The remaining dicots (palaeodicots) may be kept in a
single paraphyletic class, called Magnoliopsida, or further divided.
 Leaves of dicots come in many different shapes and sizes. The veins go from
the central midrib to the edge of the leaf, crossing and joining to form a netted
pattern all over the leaf.

MALVA LEAVES

ROSA LEAVES
CAMPANULA LEAVES

SQUASH PLANT
BEANS PLANT

LETTUCE
 The flowers of dicots usually have flower parts in fours or fives. The calyx is a
separate ring of sepals under the corolla, and is usually green.

OENOTHERA

EPILOBIUM
DICOT PLANTS

STRAWBERRIES

PEANUT