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Top: Science: Biology: Flora_and_Fauna: Plantae: Magnoliophyta: Liliopsida
The Liliopsida are the class of flowering plants traditionally classified as monocotyledons. The monocots produce a single seed leaf that pushes through the soil when they germinate as against the pair of seed leaves produced by dicots. About one fifth of the flowering plants are monocots, about 50,000 species, and they include daffodils, bromeliads, lilies, irises, palms, orchids, sedges, rushes and grass. The grasses are of enormous economic importance, including as they do the cereals, and other food plants that are monocots include bananas, dates, pineapples, coconuts yams and onions.The monocots are listed under their family names.
Family of bulbous or rhizomatous plants comprising about 30 genera and 600 species. The flowers are carried in an umbel which distinguishes this family from the Amaryllidaceae. The largest genus, Allium, comprising 450 species, includes onions, leeks, chives, shallots and garlic and most members of this genus have a pungent smell when crushed.
Family of monocotyledonous plants, comprising about 85 genera and 1100 species, which mostly grow from bulbs. Typically, they lie dormant for long periods, breaking into leaf in the spring or after rains, flowering and dying down again. The flowers are either solitary or in heads, often with a bract below the ovary. The leaves are long with parallel veins. Genera grown as ornamentals include Narcissus, snowdrop, Hippeastrum and Amaryllis.
This family of monocotyledons comprises about 115 genera and 2000 species, the majority of which are tropical. The flowers have no bracts and are usually massed in a cylindrical spadix, wrapped in an enclosing spathe. Often the flowers have an offensive smell to attract flies as pollination agents. Some species are climbers with aerial roots such as the Swiss Cheese Plant, Monstera. There are also many ornamental species, often grown as houseplants.
The sedges are a family of grass-like or rush-like perennials with unstalked linear leaves, sometimes reduced to a sheath. The flowers, generally grouped into spikelets, are tiny, with petals and sepals reduced to a bristle. Several male and female flowers on the same stalk may form a spike. There are about 120 genera and 5,000 species. Sedges can be told from grasses by their solid, often three-sided, unjointed stems. They typically grow on poor acid soils and have little nutritional or economic value.
A small family of the American tropics comprised of one genus (Heliconia) and 120+ species.
Large family of monocotyledonous plants, comprising about 60 genera and 800 species, with underground corms, tubers or rhizomes. The leaves are long with parallel veins. The flowers are usually in spikes and often showy, and are widely grown as ornamentals. They include the iris, gladiolus, crocus and freesia.
The rushes are a family of hairless grass-like or sedge-like perennial plants, usually erect and tufted and growing in poorly drained places. The stems are sometimes hollow or filled with pith and the leaves are sheathing. The inconspicuous greenish or brownish flowers are regularly formed which distinguishes them from grasses or sedges.
Large family of monocotyledonous plants, comprising about 250 genera and 3700 species, growing from bulbs or rhizomes. The flowers are regular and generally in spikes. Gasteria and Aloe are fleshy and adapted for arid conditions, and Gloriosa is a climbing plant. Genera widely grown as ornamentals include the lily, fritillary, tulip and hyacinth.
Family of aquatic and wetland plants.
The grass family, alternative name Gramineae.
Family of plants with corms or rhizomes.
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