The Difference Between Monocotyledonous and Dicotyledonous Plants
What Are Monocotyledonous and Dicotyledonous Plants?
Monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants are two major groups of angiosperms. Angiosperms are flowering plants that have seeds enclosed in a fruit. Monocots and dicots differ from each other in many ways including their morphology, anatomy, and life cycle.
Monocots are also known as monocotyledonous plants, and they have one seed leaf or cotyledon. Examples of monocots include corn, lilies, grasses, and palm trees. On the other hand, dicots are also called dicotyledonous plants, and they have two seed leaves or cotyledons. Examples of dicots include beans, sunflowers, roses, and oak trees.
Differences in Morphology
One of the most noticeable differences between monocots and dicots is their morphology. Monocots typically have narrow, long leaves with parallel veins while dicots have broad, flat leaves with branching veins. Additionally, monocot roots tend to be shallow and fibrous while dicot roots are taproots.
Monocots have flowers that typically come in multiples of three while dicots have flowers that come in multiples of four or five. The stem of monocots has scattered vascular bundles that are difficult to identify while the stem of dicots has a cambium layer that allows for secondary growth.
Differences in Anatomy
Monocots and dicots also differ in their anatomy. Monocot stems lack secondary growth and have scattered bundles of vascular tissue, while dicot stems have secondary growth and a ring of vascular tissue. Monocots have adventitious roots, roots that arise from the shoot system, while dicots have primary roots which arise from the embryonic root.
In monocots, the flower parts are fused together into a single structure while in dicots the flower parts are usually separate structures. Monocot seeds have one cotyledon while dicots have two. Monocotyledonous seeds a hard outer layer called the testa, while dicots have two outer layers: the testa and the tegmen.
Differences in Life Cycle
Monocots and dicots also differ in their life cycle. Monocots tend to have fast growth and short life span while dicots have slower growth and longer life span. Additionally, monocots tend to sprout from seeds more quickly, while dicots take longer.
In monocots, the embryo and the cotyledon are above the ground and become the first leaves while in dicots, the embryonic cotyledons stay underground and do not become leaves. Monocots also tend to have more reproductive structures, such as flowers, while dicots tend to have more leaves.
Conclusion
In conclusion, monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants are two major groups of flowering plants with distinct morphological, anatomical, and life cycle differences. Understanding these differences can be useful for gardeners, farmers, and botanists alike. Knowing which plants are monocots and which are dicots can help with planting and growing, plant identification, and more.
Table difference between monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous
| Monocotyledonous Plants | Dicotyledonous Plants | |
|---|---|---|
| Embryonic Leaves | One embryonic leaf (cotyledon) | Two embryonic leaves (cotyledons) |
| Root System | Fibrous root system | Tap root system |
| Stem Anatomy | Scattered vascular bundles | Ringed vascular bundles |
| Leaves | Parallel-veined | Net-veined |
| Flowers | Multiples of 3 | Multiples of 4 or 5 |
| Seeds | One cotyledon, endosperm absent | Two cotyledons, endosperm present |