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Plant World

Plant Diversity

What are the two major groups of angiosperms and what are the major differences between the groups?

Angiosperms—made up of the largest number of plant species (240,000)—are classified into two major groups, monocots and dicots. The description of monocots and dicots is based on the first leaves that appear on the plant embryo. Monocots have one seed leaf, while dicots have two seed leaves. There are approximately 65,000 species of monocots and 175,000 species of dicots. Orchids, bamboo, palms, lilies, grains, and many grasses are examples of monocots. Dicots include most trees that are nonconiferous, shrubs, ornamental plants, and many food crops.



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