Comparative Anatomy of Monocotyledons and Dicotyledons leaves

• The vertical section of dorsiventral leaf or Dicotyledons leaf and isobilateral leaf or monocotyledon leaf reveal that anatomy of both monocotyledons and Dicotyledons leaf are almost similar except for some differences.  

• The anatomy of both types of leaves has epidermis mesophyll and vascular system.

• In both monocot and dicot leaves, epidermis is differentiated into adaxial and abaxial epidermis but in dicot leaves, a cuticle is present at lower or abaxial surface.

• In Dicot leaves, Lower epidermis has more stomata than upper epidermis whereas in monocot leaves, stomata are equally distributed on both upper and lower surface.

• In both Monocot and Dicot leaves, the tissue between upper and lower epidermis is called mesophyll. 

• Mesophyll has chloroplast and carry out photosynthesis and made up of parenchyma.

• In Dicot leaves, mesophyll is divided into spongy and palisade parenchyma. 

• The cells of Palisades parenchyma are elongated and majority present at upper surface. 

• The cells of spongy parenchyma are oval and present at lower surface of leaves.

• In Monocotyledons leaf , mesophyll cells are not differentiated into spongy and palisade parenchyma.

• In grasses, upper epidermis  modified their veins and form large colourless cell called bulliform cells.

Remember 👌👌 Turgidity of bulliform cells make leaf exposed whereas flaccidity of bulliform cell make leaf curl.

• The vascular system of both Monocotyledons and Dicotyledons leaf vascular bundles depend on size of vein. 

• The vascular bundle are surrounded by layer of bundle sheath cells.

• The dicot leaves have reticulated vennation whereas monocot leaves have parallel vennation.