Monocot

Monocots or Monocotyledons are a significant group of flowering plants classified under the Angiosperms. They are characterized by having one embryonic leaf or cotyledon during germination. Monocots are one of the two major groups of flowering plants, the other being the dicotyledons or dicots.

Characteristics

Monocots are distinguished by several unique characteristics. They have one cotyledon, parallel leaf veins, flower parts in multiples of three, and a fibrous root system. The vascular bundles in the stem are scattered, and the pollen grains have a single pore or furrow.

Classification

Monocots are classified under the class Liliopsida in the Cronquist system, and under the subclass Commelinidae in the Takhtajan system. The APG system and its updates recognize the monocots as a clade called Monocotyledoneae or Monocotyledones.

Diversity

Monocots comprise about 60,000 species, making up around 25% of all flowering plants. They are diverse in habit, with species ranging from tiny floating plants to large trees and include some of the most economically important plants such as rice, wheat, corn, sugarcane, banana, onion, bamboo, and many orchids.

Evolution

The monocots are believed to have evolved from early aquatic plants around 140-200 million years ago in the late Jurassic or early Cretaceous period. They diversified rapidly in the Cretaceous and early Tertiary periods, leading to the wide variety of forms seen today.

Economic Importance

Monocots have immense economic importance. Many are staple food crops, while others are important in horticulture, forestry, and the production of natural products such as medicines and perfumes.

Monocot Resources
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