Botany: what is the evolutionary significance of losing a cotyledon?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the evolutionary transition from angiosperms with two cotyledons to monocots with one cotyledon. Participants explore the potential benefits of having a single cotyledon, though no specific advantages are identified. They note distinct morphological differences between monocots and dicots, such as leaf vein patterns and flower part arrangements. The divergence of monocots and dicots from a common ancestor is estimated to have occurred around 200 million years ago. Overall, both monocots and dicots thrive in warm, loose topsoil for optimal germination.
Arctangent
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Hey there,

I was reading up on angiosperms, and one of the possible evolutionary relationships that showed up were ancestors that originally had 2 cotyledons, and the lost of one later on rose to the arisal of monocots.

I suppose this might be a really tough question, but what would be the benefit for a plant to start with having one cotyledon as opposed to two?

Or maybe it'd be better to ask: what kind of environment would be better for a germinating seedling that has only one cotyledon?
 
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Arctangent said:
I was reading up on angiosperms, and one of the possible evolutionary relationships that showed up were ancestors that originally had 2 cotyledons, and the lost of one later on rose to the arisal of monocots.
That's interesting, I had not heard of that relationship before. I am curious where did you read that?
what would be the benefit for a plant to start with having one cotyledon as opposed to two?
Can't say I know of any benefits of having one seed leave over two.
Modern monocots and dicots do have very distinctive characteristics: monocot(e.g. major leaf veins parallel, flower parts in multiples of three, stem-vascular-bundles scattered, pollen with a single pore...) dicot [e.g. major leaf veins reticulated (netted), flower parts in multiples of four or five, stem-vascular-bundles in a ring, pollen with 3 pores]. Those are just a few morphological differences (reference). Scientists believe the monocot-dicot divergence from a common ancestor, occurred about 200 MYA (million years ago). That would be sufficient time to evolved all those differences we see today.
what kind of environment would be better for a germinating seedling that has only one cotyledon?
I don't know what environments would be more advantangeous to monocots. Both mono and dicots prefer warm, loose friable topsoil to enhance germination.
 
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