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Balsamorhiza - Balsamroot
- long-lived perennial herbs
- leaves in basal rosette
- leaves broad, arrow-shaped
- disk and ray flowers

Major groups within Angiosperms
Basal families
Magnoliid
complex
“Dicots”
Eudicots
Monocots
Monocot diversity
Irises
Agaves
Orchids
Pandanus
Lilies
Palms
Dioscorea
Grasses
Sedges
Rushes
Aroids
Bromeliads
Gingers
Alismataceae
Acorus
Commelina
“Dicots”
2 seed leaves
(cotyledons)
Monocots
1 seed leaf
(cotyledon)
Dicots - vascular cambium
Monocots - vascular bundles
Monocots - no secondary growth (true wood) => all “herbs”
Monocots - roots fibrous (no taproots)
Dicots - reticulate venation
Monocots - parallel venation
Monocots - flowers 3-merous
Some distinguishing features of Monocots
1. 1 cotyledon
2. scattered vascular bundles
no secondary growth
only fibrous roots, no tap roots
3. parallel leaf venation (almost always)
4. flower parts in multiples of 3 (rare in dicots)
Monocots worldwide
~1/4 of angiosperms
>2500 families, ~60,000 species (25,000 orchids)
center of diversity in tropics
major temperate families: Poaceae and Liliaceae
very important ecologically and economically
grassland ecosystems = 1/4 of land worldwide
source of all grain crops (rice, maize, wheat etc.)
Monocot diversity
Irises
Agaves
Orchids
Pandanus
Lilies
Palms
Dioscorea
Grasses
Sedges
Rushes
Aroids
Bromeliads
Gingers
Alismataceae
Acorus
Commelina
Montana monocots (not on plants-to-know list)
Araceae
(Calla Lily family)
Lysichitum americanum (Skunk Cabbage)
Montana monocots (not on plants-to-know list)
Alismataceae
(Water Plantain
family)
Sagittaria latifolia (Arrowhead)
Agavaceae - Yucca
Yucca moth (Pronuba) inside flower
Yucca (Soapweed)
New families -- Petaloid monocots
Liliaceae (Lily family)
Iridaceae (Iris family)
Orchidaceae
(Orchid family)
Liliaceae -- Lily family
Worldwide
north temperate, especially in Mediterranean regions
some authors split into many smaller families
(ex. Calochortaceae, Trilliaceae, Alliaceae, etc.)
In Montana
15th largest family: ~25 genera, ~55 species
Growth habit/Life history
perennial herbs often with bulbs

bulb =
underground storage organ made of thickened leaf bases
Liliaceae -- Lily family
Leaves
simple
usually linear
no petiole
Inflorescences
variable:
panicle
raceme
umbel
solitary

Liliaceae -- Lily family
Flowers
regular, perfect (bisexual)
Sepals + Petals (Tepals)
6 (all showy usually)
usually unfused
Stamens
6, distinct
Gynoecium
3 fused carpels, 1 style
superior ovary

Fruit types

Liliaceae -- Lily family
capsule (most common)
berry
Fritillaria
Clintonia
Liliaceae -- Lily family
Xerophyllum (Bear Grass)
Liliaceae -- Lily family
Allium
Liliaceae -- Lily family
Disporum (Fairy Bells)
Liliaceae -- Lily family
Veratrum viride
(Corn Lily, False Hellebore)
Liliaceae -- Lily family
Camassia quamash
(Common Camas)
Zigadenus elegans
(Mountain Death-Camas)
Liliaceae -- Lily family
Calochortus
(Cat’s Ear,
Sego Lily,
Mariposa Lily)
Fritillaria -- Fritillaries

 typical Liliaceae
 fruit = capsule
 flower bell-like
F. pudica
(Yellow Bells)
F. atropurpurea
Chocolate Bells
Erythronium -- Glacier Lily

 typical Liliaceae
 fruit = capsule
 petals long & reflexed
 bulbs important food for wildlife