monocota

Monocota is a proposed clade of flowering plants that includes the grasses, sedges, and palms. It is one of the two major divisions of the angiosperms, the other being the dicots. The name "monocot" refers to the fact that monocots typically have a single cotyledon, or seed leaf, in their embryo. This is in contrast to dicots, which typically have two cotyledons.

In addition to having a single cotyledon, monocots also share a number of other distinctive characteristics. These include parallel venation in their leaves, a fibrous root system, and flower parts that are typically in multiples of three. Monocot stems are also characterized by vascular bundles that are scattered throughout the stem, rather than being arranged in a ring as they are in dicots.

The monocots are a very diverse group of plants, with over 70,000 species described. They are found in a wide variety of habitats, from tropical rainforests to deserts. Some of the most familiar monocots include grasses, such as wheat, rice, and corn, as well as palms, lilies, orchids, and irises.

The exact evolutionary relationships of the monocots are still being studied, but genetic and morphological evidence strongly supports their monophyly. The group is believed to have diverged from other angiosperms early in the evolution of flowering plants. The study of monocot diversity and evolution is an active area of botanical research, contributing to our understanding of plant phylogeny and adaptation.