Monocots

1
Monocots

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

2
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

3
Lineages within monocots

• Alismatales
• Wetland and aquatic habitats
• Lilianae
• Liliales
• Asparagales

• Commelinanae
• Arecales (Palms)
• Bromeliales (Pineapples)
• Juncales
• Typhales
• Commelinales
• Phylidrales
• Zingiberales (Ginger)

4
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

5
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)

6
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,

7
Asparagales

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

• Convallariaceae