Monocots and Dicots

 

Flowering plants (trees, shrubs, flowers and grasses, but not ferns) can be divided into two groups - Monocots and Dicots.

 

Monocots have flowers organized in groups of 3

Douglas Iris – photo courtesy William Follette

 

Monocot leaves have parallel veins.

Douglas Iris – photo courtesy William Follette

 

Examples of Monocots are orchids, grasses, onions and agave.

 

 

Dicots are everything else, comprising over 80% of California’s flowering plants.  Their flowers are organized in 4s and 5s.

California Saxifrage – photo courtesy Stave Matson

 

Leaf veins are not parallel.

 

Dicots include Maples, Oaks, Ceanothus, California Poppies and Asters.

 

Want more?  See Wikipedia.

 

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