| Monocots | Dicots |
| Embryo with single cotyledon. | Embryo with two cotyledons. |
| Pollen with single furrow or pore. | Pollen with three furrows or pores. |
| Flower parts in multiples of three. | Flower parts in multiples of four or five. |
| Major leaf veins parallel. | Major leaf veins reticulated. |
| Stem vascular bundles scattered. | Stem vascular bundles in a ring. |
| Roots are adventitious. | Roots develop from radicle. |
| Secondary growth absent. | Secondary growth often present. |