Differences between Monocot and Dicot

Flowering plants are classified into two major groups called dicots and monocots. However, this is a very fuzzy distinction which botanists do not agree upon simply because there are monocots that possess some characters of dicots. This is not a fault of the botanists though; this has got to do with shared ancestry of the two groups of flowering plants. Despite similarities, there are many differences between monocots and dicots that will be discussed in this article.

To begin with, the major difference between monocots and dicots is revealed by their names. While monocot has a single cotyledon, dicots have two cotyledons. These are seed endosperms that are contained within the seed coat (testa). If you have seen a softened bean seed, you can divide it into two halves revealing the contained seed endosperm. Inside a bean seed there is a tiny plant called embryo. The two halves of the seed are called cotyledons. These halves serve the purpose of supplying food to the young plant when it is growing.

On the other hand, a corn seed is called a monocot as it has only one cotyledon. Even when it has been soaked, you cannot slip off the seed coat easily. This single cotyledon surrounds the embryo. The seed leaves in a dicot are round and fat whereas the seed leaf (cotyledon) of a monocot is thin because the endosperm that provides food for the young plant is not inside the seed leaf.

Germination of a monocot seed produces a single leaf. This is a long, narrow leaf just like its parent. On the other hand, germination of a dicot produces two leaves. The first two leaves are often differently shaped than later leaves. Monocot leaves are not only narrow and thin, they have veins that run in straight lines up and down. Sometimes, the veins run parallel to each other from the center of the leaf. In sharp contrast, leaves of dicots have various shapes and sizes. The shape and pattern of veins in dicot leaves is also varied and often one finds a netted pattern of veins.

Another point of difference between monocots and dicots is the structure of their stems. While the stems of monocots are fleshy and un-branched, those of dicots are tough. While the stems of monocots do not grow in thickness each year, the stems of dicots become wider and often become branched. There are differences in the roots also. The roots of dicots are strong, thick and consist of a single tap root with small shoots growing from them. On the other hand, roots of monocots are short and branched. Dicots also have bulbs sometimes.

While the flower parts in monocots are in threes, those of dicots are in fours or fives. Often sepals and petals are of same color in monocots giving a look of 6 petals. Surprisingly, there is same number of stamens as petals in monocots. Lastly, the number of seeds in a fruit of dicots is more than that of dicots.