Last Updated on March 19, 2022 by QCity Editorial Stuff
There are several differences between monocots and eudicots, the two most important of which are their number of cotyledons and floral structure. Monocots typically have one cotyledon (a seed leaf), while eudicots typically have two. Additionally, the petals in a monocot’s flower are usually arranged in a spiral, while those in a eudicot’s flower are arranged in opposite pairs.
Plants can be divided into two major groups: monocots and eudicots. Though they share some common features, there are several differences between these two types of plants. In this post, we’ll take a closer look at some of the key distinctions between monocots and eudicots.
Comparison between Monocots and Eudicots
| Parameters of Comparison | Monocots | Eudicots |
| System | Monocots are typically herbaceous plants with narrow leaves | Eudicots have wide leaves |
| Lack petals | Monocots are typically flowers that lack petals | eudicots usually have petals |
| Thin | Monocot stems are generally thin and may not be woody at all | eudicot is usually thick and solid to support the weight of fruit or seed pods |
| Root | The root system for a monocot is shallow because it grows from a bulbous base called a rhizome, which can also produce new plantlets | a eudicot’s roots grow straight down into the ground |
| Leaf | Monocots have a single seed leaf | eudicots have two |
What is Monocots?
Monocots are one of the two major groups of flowering plants, meaning they have flowers with just one petal. Monocots can be found in many different parts of the world and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The other group is called dicotyledons which have flowers with more than one petal.
Monocots are often identified by characteristic features such as leaves that grow from a single node (leaf stem), leaf veins running parallel to each other, flower structure consisting only of three petals (labella) or sepals, fruit that splits into two halves along the suture line when ripe, pollen grains with an oblong shape and numerous cells, seeds that lack endosperm for nutrition before germination, and corms as underground storage organs.
What is Eudicots?
Eudicots are a diverse group of plants that make up the largest angiosperm clade, which is a subdivision of flowering plants. There are more than 283,000 species of eudicots, and they can be found all over the world. While they share some common features, eudicots come in a variety of shapes and sizes. This diversity makes them an interesting group to study, and scientists are still learning new things about them. In this post, we’ll take a closer look at what eudicots are and some of their most notable characteristics.
Eudicots are a type of flowering plant that is found all over the world. There are more than 190,000 different species of eudicots, making them one of the largest groups of plants on Earth. While they come in all shapes and sizes, they share some common characteristics, including flowers that have four petals and four sepals. Eudicots play an important role in the environment, providing food and shelter for animals, and helping to purify the air.
10 Differences Between Monocots and Eudicots
1. Monocots are typically herbaceous plants with narrow leaves.
2. Eudicots have wide leaves.
3. Monocots are typically flowers that lack petals, while eudicots usually have petals.
4. Monocot stems are generally thin and may not be woody at all, while the stem of a eudicot is usually thick and solid to support the weight of fruit or seed pods.
5. The root system for a monocot is shallow because it grows from a bulbous base called a rhizome, which can also produce new plantlets; meanwhile, a eudicot’s roots grow straight down into the ground.
6. An example of a monocot is grasses, lilies, cattails; an example of a eudicot is beans, peaches.
7. Monocots have a single seed leaf while eudicots have two.
8. Monocots produce flowers with three petals while eudicots produce flowers with four or five petals.
9. The leaves of monocot plants are typically parallel to the ground, but in some cases, they can be perpendicular to the ground.
10. In monocot plants, the stems and veins extend from one side of the stem to another whereas, in eudicot plants, these structures extend from both sides of the stem.
Interesting Statistics or Facts of Monocots
1. Monocots are the most common plant family on earth.
2. There are more than 20,000 species of monocots.
3. The oldest known monocot is a fossilized leaf from an extinct plant called Archaefructus found in China.
4. The earliest known flowering plants were all monocots.
5. There are around 150 families of monocots, including bamboo and palm trees.
6. Monocot leaves have parallel veins that run lengthwise along the blade.
Interesting Statistics or Facts of Eudicots
1. The largest eudicot is the baobab tree, which can grow up to 40 meters tall.
2. The smallest eudicot is the little leaf linden or tilia cordata, with a height of only 7 feet.
3. There are more than 120 different genera and 880 species of eudicots.
4. Eudicots represent about three-quarters of all flowering plants on Earth.
5. Eudicots have flowers that typically have four petals and two sepals.
6. Some examples of popular edible fruits from the eudicot family include apples, avocados, peaches, plums, oranges, and almonds.
Conclusion
Monocots and Eudicots are two types of flowering plants. They differ in their reproductive structures, floral arrangements, leaves, stems, roots, and seeds. Here are some characteristics that both monocots and eudicots share: they have vascular bundles called xylem or phloem; chlorophyll is found inside the cells for photosynthesis; water-conducting vessels called tracheae allow air to enter plant tissues because there is no waxy cuticle layer on the outside of these cells. Monocotyledons (plants with a single cotyledon) typically produce a spiral leaf while eudicotyledons (plant with two cotyledons) will generally produce an alternate arrangement of flat leaves which distinguish eudicots from monocots.
References:
Resource 01: https://www.holganix.com/blog/monocots-vs-dicots-what-you-need-to-know
Resource 02: https://basicbiology.net/plants/angiosperms/eudicots
