Snake plants have yellow-striped leaves and are popular houseplants.
Aside from that, it has tiny green flowers with a mild scent.
Do Snake Plants belong to the monocotyledon family or to the dicotyledon family?
We will reveal that explanation here.
Let’s talk about…
Is Snake Plant a Monocot or a Dicot?
According to the research, Mother-in-law’s tongue,
or snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata), is a monocot.
There are several key differences between monocots and dicots,
…including the absence of branched veins on the leaves and the number of petal arrangements.
A Snake Plant has six petals for your information.
In contrast, dicots have two or four leaves in each group,
…and their veins are branched.
Scientific classification
- Kingdom : Plantae
- Clade : Tracheophytes
- Clade : Angiosperms
- Clade : Monocots
- Order : Asparagales
- Family : Asparagaceae
- Subfamily : Nolinoideae
- Genus : Dracaena
- Species : D. trifasciata
Snake Plants Are Monocots
They are monocots, in fact. The monocotyledon, also known as the grass plant,
…has only one embryonic leaf, or cotyledon, in its seeds.
In traditional classification, they are one of the main groups of flowering plants,
…the rest of which have two cotyledons and are therefore classified as dicots (dicotyledons).
Monocotyledons (Monocotyledons) have almost always been classified as a group,
….but with many taxonomical ranks and names.
There is a clade called Monocots in the 2009 APG III system,
…but it is not assigned a taxonomic rank. Monocots are estimated to include about 60,000 species.
It is the Orchid family that has the most species among these groups (over 20,000 species).
About half as many species are grasses, which are economically the most important group of monocots.
Sedges are monocots, too, and are often mistaken for grasses.
In the world, monocotyledons, or simply called monocots, produce most of the biomass.
There are not only main grains such as rice, wheat, or maize, but also sugar cane,
…bamboo, and forage grasses.
The following monocots are also important:
- Various palms (Arecaceae).
- Bananas and plantains (Musaceae).
- Gingers and their relatives.
- Turmeric and cardamom (Zingiberaceae).
- Asparagus (Asparagaceae).
- Pineapple (Bromeliaceae).
- Sedges (Cyperaceae).
- Rushes (Juncaceae).
- Onion and garlic (Amaryllidaceae).
There are a lot of monocotyledon epiphytes among houseplants.
In addition to that, most horticultural bulbs, such as lilies, amaryllis, cannas, daffodils, irises,
…tulips and bluebells, are monocots (monocotyledons).
Monocots Description
A monocot (Monocotyledon) has only one cotyledon (embryonic leaf) in its seeds.
During the research, this feature was used to compare monocots with dicots (Dicotyledons),
…which usually have two cotyledons. Similarly, dicotyledons (Dicotyledons)
…have also been shown not to be native plants.
The term can only be applied to angiosperms that are not monocots (monocotyledons).
The number of cotyledons isn’t an important characteristic of a plant…
…because they are only present for a short period of time.
In monocots, whose adaptive advantages are inadequate,
….cotyledons are one of many variations of their body plan.
There have rarely been any contradictions as to whether Monocots (Monocotyledons)
…belong to this group.
However, morphological features that characterize major clades are rare.
The monocots (monocotyledons) have both uniformity…
…and diversity that make them distinct from other angiosperms.
Additionally, the structure of the leaf and the design of the flower are more uniform…
…than in other angiosperms.
There is a great deal of diversity within those constraints,
…which demonstrates a high degree of evolutionary success.
Characteristics of Monocots
Monocot seedlings have an adventitious root system, parallel veined leaves,
…and a single cotyledon. Typically, flower parts come in multiples of three.
Pollen has a characteristic single aperture.
There is no vascular cambium in the roots of monocots.
In vascular cambiums, secondary xylem and phloem form, or secondary vascular tissues.
Therefore, they do not have secondary thickening mechanisms.
On the other hand, monocot roots resemble those of eudicots in other structural aspects.
Numerous eudicots possess strong roots or branch roots that originate from the embryonic root.
Taproots or primary roots have a vascular cambium, and they are thickened by secondary growth.
Monocots do not have this type of root system.
Instead, the primary root that originates from the embryo’s radicle will abort…
…or will not develop sufficiently to produce a primary root.
Monocots have an adventitious root system. All the roots are slender.
Fibrous roots are said to be present in the plant.
Monocot flowers differ from eudicots in particular in the number of parts they have.
A monocot’s flowers usually have three parts, sometimes four, but almost never five.
Sepals and petals are characterized by their numbers.
Usually, stamens and pistils are numerous, even when the perianth is trimerous,
…or the ovary may have two instead of three carpels.
Sometimes, there are six stamens, representing two whorls of three.
Snake Plants Care
Furthermore, let us investigate the care of snake plants a bit.
Snake plants require less care once they are established.
They must be placed where there is no direct sunlight, primarily in the winter.
It is actually better to let the Snake plants dry between waterings.
Snake plants can be fertilized with all-purpose fertilizer if they are potted.
When the snake plant is left exposed to temperatures below 55°F, it will scar its leaves.
This snake plant needs to be placed at a temperature of 60 to 80°F during the day…
…and 55 to 70°F at night. If you are curious and seek a complete guide..
…to growing snake plants from seed, here you can read: Ultimate Guide Growing Snake Plants From Seed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the two main types of snake plants?
There are two main types of snake plants: terrestrial or lithophytic and epiphytic or bromeliad.
What is the snake plant monocot or dicot plant classification?
The snake plant is a monocot plant.
How can I tell the difference between a snake plant monocot and a dicot?
Dicot plants are flowering plants with two seed leaves per stem, while monocots are flowering plants with one seed leaf per stem.
How can I care for my snake plant?
One way to care for a snake plant is to water it regularly, fertilize it when needed, and remove any dead leaves or flowers.
