Lecture 8: Polysporangiophytes III

Question 1

What perceentage of angiosperm diversity, do monocots represent?

Answer 1

1/4 (class Liliopsida)

Question 2

What are characteristics of monocots?

Answer 2

o Formation of single embryonic leaf – cotyledon (first embryonic leaf)
o Atactostelic stem vasculature
o Absence of secondary lateral meristems and therefore no secondary thickening (no secondary wood)
o Parallel leaf venation
o Formation of adventitious roots

Question 3

What are some of the most important representatives of monocots and their importance?

Answer 3

o Yams – food/ starch source, used in Africa, Asia, Latin-America (high protein content, but few essential AAs)
o Onions – onion family: onion, garlic, chives, leeks; used as spices

o Bananas - fruit
o Gingers - spice
o Agaves – source of food, fibres, soap, medicinals, tequila
o Palms – fruits, rattan, fibres, oils, starch
o Sedges – e.g. Cyperus papyrus (paper reed9
o Cereals – food source
o Lillies – ornamental plants

Question 4

What are eudicots?

Answer 4

• phylogenetically more advanced dicots (non-magnoliids)
• characterized by the 3-colpate pollen grain (or 3 colpate derived -> mostly more than 3 apertures)
• representing about 3⁄4 of angiosperm diversity

Question 5

How are eudicots different from magnoliids

Answer 5

cyclic arrangement of floral parts and filamentous stamens

Question 6

How are eudicots different from monocots

Answer 6

• formation of 2 cotyledons, eustelic stem vasculature,
• formation of secondary wood, taproot formation, and reticulate leaf venation

Question 7

What are some basal groups of eudicots?

Answer 7

poppy, grape, or cacti families

Question 8

what subgroups of eudicots are around the same size?

Answer 8

rosids and asterids are two large subgroups

Question 9

What are characteristics of rosids?

Answer 9

typically have non fused floral parts (i.e., individual tepal, or petal and sepal elements)

Question 10

What are representatives of rosids

Answer 10

• bean family (=legumes – soybean, alfalfa, peas, peanuts…),
• rose family (apples, pears, plums, peaches…),
• gourd family (melons, cucumbers…), or
• crucifers (cabbage family, with turnip, rapeseed, broccoli, cauliflower, radish, mustard…)

Question 11

What are characteristics of Asterids

Answer 11

loral elements typically fuse into sympetalous corolla and calyx

Question 12

What are representatives of Aterids

Answer 12

• the heath family (blueberries, cranberries…),
• mint family (basil, rosemary, thyme, lavender…),
• carrot family (celery, anise, caraway, dill…), or
• daisy family (asters, dandelions, sunflowers, lettuce…)