Monocotyledon

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Monocotyledon

Monocotyledon (pronunciation: /ˌmɒnəˌkɒtɪˈliːdən/), often referred to as monocots, is a clade of flowering plants that are classified by the presence of a single seed leaf or cotyledon. The term "Monocotyledon" is derived from the Greek words "mono" meaning "one" and "kotyledon" meaning "seed leaf".

Etymology

The term "Monocotyledon" is derived from the Greek words "mono" meaning "one" and "kotyledon" meaning "seed leaf". It was first used in the late 19th century to classify a group of flowering plants that have a single cotyledon in their seeds.

Characteristics

Monocots are characterized by having a single cotyledon in their seeds, hence the name. Other distinguishing features include parallel leaf veins, flowers with parts in multiples of three, and a lack of secondary growth.

Classification

Monocots are one of the two major groups of flowering plants, or Angiosperms, the other being dicots. There are approximately 60,000 species of monocots, including many of the most economically important plants such as rice, wheat, and corn.

Related Terms

  • Cotyledon: The embryonic leaf in seed-bearing plants. Monocots have one cotyledon, while dicots have two.
  • Angiosperms: The group of flowering plants. Monocots and dicots are the two major groups of angiosperms.
  • Dicots: The other major group of flowering plants. Dicots have two cotyledons in their seeds, as opposed to the single cotyledon in monocots.

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