Certified Professional Horticulturist (CPH) Practice Exam

A customer hands you a plant with parallel leaf veins. What type of plant is it?

1. Angiosperm

2. Dicotyledonous

3. Monocotyledonous

4. Pinnately compound

The correct answer is: Monocotyledonous

The presence of parallel leaf veins is a key characteristic of monocotyledonous plants, commonly referred to as monocots. In monocots, the leaf structure typically exhibits this parallel venation pattern, which is distinct from dicotyledonous plants that usually feature a net-like or branching vein pattern. Monocots include a wide range of plant families, such as grasses, lilies, and orchids. This vein structure is an important identification trait that helps differentiate monocots from dicots, which tend to have broader, more complex leaf vein arrangements. Understanding the classification of plants can help in identifying their characteristics and care requirements. For instance, recognizing that a plant is a monocot can inform watering practices and growth habits, as many monocots have specific environmental needs compared to dicots or other plant categories.