Monocots and Their Orders

Monocots

• Plants are typically herbaceous, rarely woody
• Embryo has one cotyledon
• Stems have scattered vascular bundles, not arranged in a single cylinder
• Leaves have parallel venation, usually with entire margins
• Flowers have parts in threes or multiples of three (trimerous)

Monocotyledoneae Orders

• Pandanales: Plants are dioecious or monoecious, with linear leaves, unisexual flowers, perianth bristles or dry scales, 1-many stamens, 1-many carpels. Fruits are nut-like, seeds are endospermic, pollen in diads. Example: Typhaceae.

• Heloboiae: Aquatic habitat, bisexual or unisexual flowers, naked or double perianth, 1-many stamens, 1-many free carpels, superior or inferior ovary, seeds exendospermic. Example: Potamogetonaceae.

• Spathiflorae: Herbs or climbers with thickened spadix, minute flowers, absent or reduced perianth, superior ovary, fruit is a berry. Example: Araceae.

• Glumiflorae: Annual, perennial herbs, shrubs, or trees, stems cylindrical or triangular, usually grow in tufts, linear leaves with parallel venation, sheathing base, flowers in spike inflorescence, small, naked or with a perianth enclosed in scale-like bracts, stamens three in one whole gynoecium with 1-3 styles. Fruit caryopsis.

• Gramineae: Root system is adventitious, stems are culm-like (solid nodes, hollow internodes), leaves have linear parallel venation, opened sheathing base, ligule, 2 auricles. Flowers are spike inflorescence, trimerous florets, perianth may be present or absent, 3 stamens with versatile anthers, gynoecium: superior ovary, 1 carpel, 1 locule, basal placentation, 2 feathery stigma.

• Cyperaceae: Adventitious root system, angled stems, linear leaves with parallel venation, closed sheathing base, spike inflorescence, trimerous florets, perianth absent, 3 stamens with versatile anthers, superior ovary, 3 carpels, 1 locule, basal placentation, 3-feathery stigma.

• Principes: Tree-like or shrub, adventitious root system, woody stems with pinnately or palmately compound leaves, compound spadix inflorescence, flowers pedicellate or sessile, bracteate, unisexual or hermaphrodite, actinomorphic, hypogynous, perianth six in two whorls, 6 stamens in two whorls, 3 carpels, apocarpous ovary, trilocular with axile placentation, fruit berry.

• Palmae: Adventitious fibrous root system, unbranched stem, crown-like leaves with parallel venation, spadix inflorescence, trimerous unisexual flower, undifferentiated calyx nor corolla, 6 stamens, superior ovary, 3 carpels, apocarpous, basal placentation.

• Farinosae: Ovary is superior, seeds have mealy endosperm.

• Commelinaceae: Leaves have parallel venation, ochreate stipules, adventitious root system, trimerous flowers, differentiated perianth into calyx and corolla, 6 stamens, superior ovary, 3 carpels, 3 locules, axile placentation.

• Liliflorae: Perennial herbs, rhizomes or bulbs, flowers are usually bisexual and regular or sometimes zygomorphic, perianth is petaloid or glumaceous, ovary is superior or inferior, trilocular fruit (capsule or berry). Key to families: Juncaceae, Liliaceae, Iridaceae, Amaryllidaceae.

• Liliaceae: Succulent leaves with parallel venation, adventitious root system, trimerous flowers, undifferentiated perianth into calyx, not corolla, 6 stamens, superior ovary, 3 carpels, 3 locules, axile placentation.

• Iridaceae: Equitant leaves with parallel venation, subterranean stem (bulb, rhizome, corm), adventitious root system, trimerous flower, undifferentiated perianth into calyx nor corolla, 3 epitepalous stamens, extorse anthers, inferior ovary, 3 carpels, 3 locules, axile placentation.

• Amaryllidaceae: Radical leaves with parallel venation, subterranean stem (bulb or rhizome), adventitious fibrous root system, trimerous flower, undifferentiated perianth into calyx nor corolla, 6 epitepalous stamens, introse anthers, inferior ovary, 3 carpels, 3 locules, axile placentation

• Scitaminae: Flower is usually zygomorphic, one or rarely four stamens, ovary inferior, leaves with open sheathing base, seeds endospermic. Families: Musaceae, Cannaceae.

• Musaceae: Leaves with parallel coastal venation, subterranean rhizome or pseudo-aerial stem, adventitious root system, spadix inflorescence, trimerous flower, undifferentiated calyx nor corolla, 5 fertile stamens, inferior ovary, 3 carpels, 3 locules, axile placentation

• Cannaceae: Leaves with parallel venation, adventitious root system, trimerous flower, differentiated perianth into calyx and corolla, 6 stamens (1 anther fertile), inferior ovary, 3 carpels, 3 locules, axile placentation, petaloid style

• Microspermae: Flower is zygomorphic, bisexual, inferior ovary and tricarpellate, stamens adherent or adnate to style, seeds minute and exendospermic, example family: Orchidaceae.

This quiz explores the key characteristics of monocot plants and their various orders. Learn about unique features like cotyledon structure, floral arrangements, and specific examples from different families within Monocotyledoneae. Perfect for botany enthusiasts and students alike!