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Monocotyledones

Monocotyledones

9.9
A group of flowering plants with seeds that have one seed leaf, like grasses and orchids
  • noun
  • /ˌmɒnəˌkɒtɪˈliːdoʊniːz/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Monocotiledóneas
  • Grasses, lilies, and orchids are all part of the Monocotyledones group, characterized by their single cotyledon.

Examples

  • All grasses belong to the Monocotyledones, distinguished by their single seed leaf and parallel leaf veins.

  • The Monocotyledones include important agricultural plants, such as rice and wheat.

  • Orchid flowers are a prime example of the diversity found within the Monocotyledones.

  • Unlike the dicots, Monocotyledones display scattered vascular bundles within their stems.

  • The Monocotyledones family includes many common plants.

  • Many Monocotyledones have long, narrow leaves.

  • Many species within the Monocotyledones have leaves that exhibit parallel venation.

Synonyms

Liliopsida
vsMonocotyledones
  • Specialized
9.9

A large group of flowering plants with one seed leaf and leaves with parallel veins, like grasses and orchids

is the common group name in English rather than the Latin class term
class Liliopsida
vsMonocotyledones
  • Specialized
9.1

Flowering plants that have one seed leaf and usually parallel veins, like grasses and palms

is used as the general name instead of the formal taxonomic label
Monocotyledonae
vsMonocotyledones
  • Specialized
9.9

Flowering plants whose seeds have one seed leaf, like grasses, lilies, orchids, and palms

is the standard English form rather than this alternate Latinized naming

Surface Forms

Morphology

Monocotyledones = monocotyledon (semi-transparent) = mono + cotyledon + es

The word is just the botanical base 'monocotyledon' with a regular plural ending, so the immediate change is straightforward.

Etymology

Monocotyledones comes from mono- 'one' and cotyledon 'seed leaf', so the name means a plant with 'one seed leaf'. These are the flowering plants like grasses, lilies, palms, and orchids, which is why we often call them 'monocots'.