• A monocot is a plant that produces one seed leaf, as opposed to a dicot which is a plant that produces two leaf seeds. A plant that is a monocot may be a flowering plant, or may include some food plants as well. Monocots comprise more than 25 percent of all flowering plants in the world.
  
  

Familiar Plant Families

• This plant group contains some of the most familiar plant families. Monocots include plant groups such as lilies, agaves, palms, orchids and grasses.
  
  

Important Monocot Food Crops

• As one of the most important organisms on the planet, monocots used as food crops include rice, wheat, corn, rye and barley.
  
  

Many Tropical Fruits Are Monocots

• Many tropical fruits such as bananas, pineapple, coconuts and dates come from monocots.
  
  

Sweetness

• Another staple popular the world over is cane sugar; which is also derived from plants that are designated as monocots.
  
  

Food Trees

• Palm plants are monocots and are also extracted for use as a cooking oil. Bamboo, which can be steamed and used as a vegetable, is in this same food group.
  
  

Vanilla

• Vanilla, used as a food flavoring, is part of the monocot family of orchids. Vanilla is extracted from the seed-bearing fruits if the vanilla orchid plant.