One seed leaf or two
Flowering plants divide again into two groups on the number of seed leaves contained in the seed.
| Monocotyledonous plants | Dicotyledonous plants |
|---|---|
| One seed leaf forms in the seed. | Two seed leaves form in the seed. |
| The stem is not branched. | The stem is branched. |
| No tap root. It has a fibrous root system. | A root system with a tap root and lateral roots. |
| Leaves have parallel venation. | Leaves have reticulate venation. |
| Flowers are trimerous. | Flowers are tetramerous or pentamerous. |
| No secondary growth occurs. | Secondary growth occurs. |
| The stem is of even thickness throughout. | The stem is thick at the base and tapers towards the tip. |
| Examples — rice, grasses, areca | Examples — chilli, jackfruit, blue water lily |
Table 13.4 — the differences between monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants.
Activity 13.3
Pull up a rice seedling or a grass plant and an acalypha plant, wash the root systems carefully, then observe and list the characteristics of the two plants.
Assignment 13.1
Make a collection of dried, prepared plant parts in such a way that both flowering and non-flowering plants are included.
Looking at the root is enough
There is no need to memorise seven characteristics. Pull the plant up and look at the root system: fibrous roots mean a monocot, a tap root means a dicot. Leaf venation is just as reliable.