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THE PHYLUM ANGIOSPERM
Core Angioserms
The Monocotyledon, Class-Order Level Index Go Down Go Up
The Monocotyledon, commonly referred to as monocots, are grass and grass-like flowering plants (angiosperms), the seeds of which typically contain only one embryonic leaf (cotyledon from Greek kotulēdónos). The monocots constitute one of the two major groups into which the flowering plants have traditionally been divided; the rest of the flowering plants have two cotyledons and are classified as dicotyledons, or dicots.
The class monocots include about 60,000 species. The largest family by number of species in this class, and for that mater, as well as in all the flowering plants as a whole, are the orchids (family Orchidaceae), with more than 20,000 species. About half as many species belong to the true grasses (family Poaceae), which are economically the most important family of monocotyledons.
Agriculture
In modern agriculture the majority of the commercial crops produced comes from the class monocotyledons. These include not only major grains (rice, wheat, maize, etc.), but also forage grasses, sugar cane, and the bamboos. Other economically important monocotyledon crops include various palms (Arecaceae), bananas and plantains (Musaceae), gingers and their relatives, turmeric and cardamom (Zingiberaceae), asparagus (Asparagaceae), pineapple (Bromeliaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae) and rushes (Juncaceae), and leeks, onion and garlic (Amaryllidaceae).
Many houseplants are monocotyledon epiphytes. Most of the horticultural bulbs, plants cultivated for their blooms, such as lilies, daffodils, irises, amaryllis, cannas, bluebells and tulips, are monocotyledons.
This may be why the number of total species includes some 60,000 separate plants.
The Class Monocotyledon Taxonomy Go Down Go Up
Taxonomy:
Kingdom: Plantea
Phylum: Angiosperm
Class: Monocotyledon (monocots)

Order: Acorales (wet land tall perennials)
1 family, 1 genus, 3 species

Order: Alismatales (tropical aquatic plants)
14 families, 165 genera, 4500 species

Order: Arecales (flowering palm plants)
2 families, 202 genera, over 2,600 species

Order: Asparagales (several edible plants)
14 families, 1122 genera, over 36,000 species

Order: Commelinales (flowering plants, cell walls contain ferulic acid)
5 families, 70 genera, 885 sprcies

Order: Dioscoreales (forest floor vines and herbaceous plants)
3 families, 22 genera, 850 species

Order: Liliales (climbing and herbaceous flowering plants)
10 families, 67 genera, 1,580 species

Order: Pandanales (subtropical trees, shrubs, vines and herbaceous plants)
5 families, 36 genera, 1,610 species

Order: Petrosaviales
1 family, 2 genera, 4 species

Order: Poales (grasses, bromeliads and sedges)
16 families, 1,050 genera, 18,875 species
Includes: barley, corn (maize), millet, rice, and wheat.

Order: Zingiberales (bananas, cardamon, ginger)
8 families, 92 genera, 2,100 species
The Monocotlyledon Gallery Go Down Go Up
Phylum Angiosperm Class Monocotyledonae
(m3pl-ang-mono-lilia-melan-2013-0419.1552) Trillium
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This Page Last Updated: 28 February 2026

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by Thom Buras
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