Monocot

Monocot, short for monocotyledon, is one of the major lineages of flowering plants (angiosperms), characterized by having a single cotyledon in the seed. It includes grasses such as rice, maize, and wheat; as well as palms, orchids, and lilies. Monocots are globally distributed and include many economically important crops.

Key features commonly used to identify monocots include parallel leaf venation, a fibrous adventitious root system, and vascular bundles scattered throughout the stem rather than arranged in a ring. Floral parts are typically in multiples of three, and pollen grains usually have a single pore or furrow. The embryo typically has one cotyledon, and seeds often contain endosperm that provides nutrition for the developing seedling, though endosperm may be absorbed or reduced in some species.

Most monocots lack true secondary growth, so they are largely herbaceous and do not form true wood; exceptions exist, such as some palms that show thickening through different tissues.

Diversity and classification: Monocots are divided into several orders and families, with the Poaceae (grasses) and Orchidaceae (orchids) among the largest and most economically important groups, as are Arecaceae (palms), Liliaceae, and Iridaceae. They are distinguished from dicots by anatomy and development and represent a principal clade within angiosperms that arose early in their evolution, with many lineages diversifying in the Cretaceous.