Monocotyledon

Monocotyledons (monocots for short) are flowering plants (that is angiosperms, Division Magnoliophyta) whose seed contains only one embryonic leaf or cotyledon. The monocotyledonous plants are usually treated as a class, originally called Monocotyledoneae, but more recently called Class Liliopsida after the type genus Lilium. Flowering plants that are dicotyledonous — having two embryonic leaves — are placed in the Class Magnoliopsida. The monocots are believed to form a monophyletic group that evolved from a very early dicot. See "How to distinguish a monocot from a dicot" for other characteristics that separate these two groups of flowering plants.

The grasses (Family Poaceae) are the second largest but most notable monocot

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family. Although perhaps appearing rather primitive, grasses are in fact highly evolved for wind pollination. On the other hand, orchids (Family Orchidaceae; the largest moncot family) have evolved in a different direction: becoming insect pollination specialists, with many species having the most complex and advanced flower structures in the Magnoliophyta.