Monocots

Some General Characteristics

Monocots form the second largest group of flowering plants (constituting approximately 22 percent of all species of angiosperms [Soltis and Soltis 2004]). They are called monocots or monocotyledons because members of this group typically have a single embryonic seed leaf (cotyledon). In most species of monocots, the cotyledon remains underground (i.e., germination is said to be hypogeal). Some monocots exhibit epigeal germination (with the cotyledon appearing above ground). A single genus may contain some species that undergo hypogeal germination and others that undergo epigeal germination; for example, Allium tricoccum exhibits hypogeal germination whereas Allium cepa exhibits epigeal germination (Li et al., 2010, Raven et al. 1992).

Besides having a single cotyledon, other characteristics commonly seen in monocots include monocolpate pollen (pollen with one furrow or pore), leaves with parallel veins, flower parts in multiples of three, roots that are entirely adventitious (i.e., they don't arise from a primary root, but usually arise from a stem and form a fibrous root system, with roots of uniform thickness), and stems and roots that lack secondary growth (i.e., there is no increase in girth, no cambium).

Monocots found in New England

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• Family: Poaceae  Agrostis capillaris

• Family: Poaceae  Agrostis gigantea

• Family: Poaceae  Agrostis perennans

• Family: Poaceae  Agrostis scabra

• Family: Poaceae  Alopecurus pratensis

• Family: Poaceae  Ammophila breviligulata

• Family: Poaceae  Andropogon gerardii

• Family: Poaceae  Anthoxanthum odoratum

• Family: Poaceae  Aristida basiramea

• Family: Poaceae  Aristida dichotoma

• Family: Poaceae  Aristida longespica

• Family: Poaceae  Aristida oligantha

• Family: Poaceae  Aristida tuberculosa

• Family: Poaceae  Arrhenatherum elatius

• Family: Poaceae  Brachyelytrum erectum

• Family: Poaceae  Bromus ciliatus

• Family: Poaceae  Bromus inermis

• Family: Poaceae  Bromus tectorum

• Family: Poaceae  Calamagrostis canadensis

• Family: Poaceae  Calamagrostis cinnoides

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