Dicot V/S Monocot

The word Dicotyledonae comes from "di" = two and "cotyledons" = seed leaves.
It means dicot plants have two seed leaves inside the seed.
Example: Pea, Bean, Mango, Mustard.
Their seeds split into two equal halves (e.g., soaked gram/pea splits into two).
Roots usually develop into a tap root system (one main root going deep with side branches).
Leaf veins (lines on the leaf) are reticulate venation (net-like pattern).
Stem vascular bundles (xylem and phloem arrangement) are arranged in a ring.
They often form secondary growth (thickening of stem/wood formation).
Flowers generally have petals in 4 or 5 or their multiples (e.g., 4, 5, 10).
Their pollen grains usually have 3 furrows or pores (tricolpate).

The word Monocotyledonae comes from "mono" = one and "cotyledons" = seed leaf.
It means monocot plants have only one seed leaf inside the seed.
Example: Rice, Wheat, Maize, Sugarcane, Grass.
Their seeds do not split into halves (e.g., rice grain, maize kernel).
Roots usually develop into a fibrous root system (many thin roots arising from the base, no main root).
Leaf veins show parallel venation (straight parallel lines).
Stem vascular bundles are scattered throughout the stem, not in a ring.
They usually do not show secondary growth (so stems don’t thicken like in trees).
Flowers generally have petals in 3 or multiples of 3 (e.g., 3, 6).
Their pollen grains usually have 1 furrow or pore (monocolpate).

Dicots = Two seed leaves, net veins, tap root, 4/5 petals, ring bundles.
Monocots = One seed leaf, parallel veins, fibrous roots, 3 petals, scattered bundles.

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