Botany: Monocots vs. Dicots

Monocotyledons

• Characterized by narrow, strap-shaped leaves featuring parallel veins.
• Seeds contain a single cotyledon.
• Roots are fibrous in structure.
• Stomata are evenly distributed on both upper and lower surfaces of leaves.
• Floral parts typically have three petals or multiples thereof.

Dicotyledons

• Feature broad leaves with a network of branched veins.
• Seeds consist of two cotyledons.
• Roots consist of a main tap root with lateral branches.
• Stomata are predominantly located on the lower surface of leaves.
• Floral parts generally include four or five petals or multiples of these numbers.

Plant Kingdom Features

• Organisms possess chlorophyll and engage in photosynthesis for food production.
• Capable of producing flowers as part of their reproductive process.
• Generate fruits that enclose seeds for propagation.
• Seeds germinate under suitable conditions to give rise to new plants.
• Composed of eukaryotic cells, characterized by complex cellular structures.
• Have cell walls primarily made of cellulose, providing structural support.
• Examples include ferns and flowering plants.

Bacteria Features

• Exist in unicellular form, making them the simplest life forms.
• Prokaryotic cells with a cell wall composed of murein.
• Lack a nucleus; DNA resides freely in the cell.
• Some types possess bacterial chlorophyll and are capable of photosynthesis.
• Reproduce asexually through simple binary fission, a rapid process leading to population growth.

Fungi Features

• Composed of eukaryotic cells, fundamentally different from bacteria.
• Have cell walls made from chitin, and some have a combination of chitin and cellulose.
• Majority are multicellular; however, unicellular forms (like yeast) do exist.
• Non-motile, lacking cilia or flagella for movement.
• Typically consist of structures called hyphae.
• The entire structure of a fungus is known as mycelium.
• Reproduction occurs via spores, while yeast specifically reproduces through a process known as budding.

Monocotyledons

• Characterized by narrow, strap-shaped leaves featuring parallel veins.
• Seeds contain a single cotyledon.
• Roots are fibrous in structure.
• Stomata are evenly distributed on both upper and lower surfaces of leaves.
• Floral parts typically have three petals or multiples thereof.

Dicotyledons

• Feature broad leaves with a network of branched veins.
• Seeds consist of two cotyledons.
• Roots consist of a main tap root with lateral branches.
• Stomata are predominantly located on the lower surface of leaves.
• Floral parts generally include four or five petals or multiples of these numbers.

Plant Kingdom Features

• Organisms possess chlorophyll and engage in photosynthesis for food production.
• Capable of producing flowers as part of their reproductive process.
• Generate fruits that enclose seeds for propagation.
• Seeds germinate under suitable conditions to give rise to new plants.
• Composed of eukaryotic cells, characterized by complex cellular structures.
• Have cell walls primarily made of cellulose, providing structural support.
• Examples include ferns and flowering plants.

Bacteria Features

• Exist in unicellular form, making them the simplest life forms.
• Prokaryotic cells with a cell wall composed of murein.
• Lack a nucleus; DNA resides freely in the cell.
• Some types possess bacterial chlorophyll and are capable of photosynthesis.
• Reproduce asexually through simple binary fission, a rapid process leading to population growth.

Fungi Features

• Composed of eukaryotic cells, fundamentally different from bacteria.
• Have cell walls made from chitin, and some have a combination of chitin and cellulose.
• Majority are multicellular; however, unicellular forms (like yeast) do exist.
• Non-motile, lacking cilia or flagella for movement.
• Typically consist of structures called hyphae.
• The entire structure of a fungus is known as mycelium.
• Reproduction occurs via spores, while yeast specifically reproduces through a process known as budding.