Dicots
Dicots, popular name for dicotyledons, one of the two large groups of flowering plants. A number of floral and vegetative features of dicots distinguish them from the more recently evolved monocotyledons (see Monocots ), the other class of flowering plants. In dicots the embryo sprouts two cotyledons, which are seed leaves that usually do not become foliage leaves but serve to provide food for the new seedling. See Seed . Flower parts of dicots are in fours or fives, and the leaves usually have veins arranged in a reticulate (netlike) pattern. The vascular tissue in the stems is arranged in a ring, and true secondary growth takes place, causing stems and roots to increase in diameter. Tree forms are common. Certain woody dicot groups (see Magnolia ) exhibit characteristics such as large flowers with many unfused parts that are thought to be similar to those of early flowering plants. About 170,000 species of dicots are known, including buttercups, maples, roses, and violets. Scientific