Monocots

Notes for Plant Taxonomy (Bio 4420) at Utah State University

Origin and Characteristics

• Monophyletic• Somewhere among Magnoliids and Palaeherbs• Characteristics

– Parallel venation (some have reticulate venation, ?reversals)

– Single cotyledon– Scattered vascular bundles (also in Nymphaeaceae,

Piperaceae)– Sieve cell plastids with several cuneate protein

crystals (also in paleoherbs)– Adventitious roots– Leaves from basal primordium– Monosulcate pollen

Lineages within monocots

• Alismatales– Wetland and aquatic

habitats

• Lilianae – Liliales– Asparagales

• Commelinanae– Arecales (Palms)– Bromeliales

(Pineapples)– Juncales– Typhales– Commelinales– Phylidrales– Zingiberales (Ginger)

Lilianae

• Liliales– Nectaries at base of

tepals or filaments– Extrorse anthers– Spots on tepals– Lack of phytomelanin

• Asparagales– Nectaries in septa of

ovaries– Unspotted petals– Phytomelanin– Sometimes anomalous

secondary growth

Liliales

• Liliaceae NEW– Bulbs or corms, contractile

roots– Inflorescence terminal,

determinate– Flowers conspicuous– Tepals often lined or

spotted– Nectaries at base of tepals– Loculidal capsules– T6,A6,G(3) capsule or

berry– Fritillaria, Erythronium,

Lilium

• Melianthaceae (Death Camas)– Bulblike rhizomes– Toxic alkaloids– Inflorescence terminal,

indeterminate– Flowers small– Anther sacs confluent,

opening by single slit– Ventricidal capsules– Seeds winged or

appendaged– T6,A6,G(3) capsules (T

sometimes connate at base)

Liliales (cont).

• Calochortaceae– Bulbs/corms present– Flowers large– Capsules septicidal

• Other families– Trilliaceae – Colchicaceae

• “Uvulariaceae”– Rhizomes– Leaves sheathing at base– Inflorescence

indeterminate– Tepals sometimes spotted– Nectaries at base of tepals– Filaments sometimes

connate– Stigmas elongate– Capsules septicidal or

loculicidal or berry

• Prosartes [=Disporum],

Asparagales

• Convallariaceae New• Asphodelaceae New• Agavaceae• Alliaceae New• Hyacinthaceae New• Asparagaceae New• Hemerocallidaceae New• Amaryllidaceae• Iridaceae• Orchidaceae

• Convallariaceae