Editing Monocotyledon (section)

====Organisation, growth and life forms====
The most important distinction is their growth pattern, lacking a [[lateral meristem]] ([[cambium]]) that allows for continual growth in diameter with height ([[secondary growth]]), and therefore this characteristic is a basic limitation in shoot construction. Although largely herbaceous, some [[arboraceous]] monocots reach great height, length and mass. The latter include [[agaves]], [[palm (plant)|palms]], [[pandans]], and [[bamboos]].{{sfn|Du et al|2016}}{{sfn|Soltis|Soltis|2016}} This creates challenges in water transport that monocots deal with in various ways. Some, such as species of ''[[Yucca]]'', develop anomalous secondary growth, while palm trees utilise an anomalous primary growth form described as [[:wikt:establishment growth|establishment growth]] (''see'' [[#Vascular system|Vascular system]]). The axis undergoes primary thickening, that progresses from [[internode (botany)|internode]] to internode, resulting in a typical inverted conical shape of the basal primary axis (''see'' Tillich, Figure 1). The limited conductivity also contributes to limited branching of the stems. Despite these limitations a wide variety of adaptive [[growth forms]] has resulted (Tillich, Figure 2) from [[epiphytic]] [[orchids]] (Asparagales) and [[bromeliads]] (Poales) to submarine [[Alismatales]] (including the reduced [[Lemnoideae]]) and [[mycotrophic]] [[Burmanniaceae]] (Dioscreales) and [[Triuridaceae]] (Pandanales). Other forms of adaptation include the climbing vines of [[Araceae]] (Alismatales) which use negative phototropism ([[skototropism]]) to locate [[host (biology)|host]] trees (''i.e.'' the darkest area),{{sfn|Strong|Ray|1975}} while some palms such as ''[[Calamus (palm)|Calamus manan]]'' ([[Arecales]]) produce the longest shoots in the plant kingdom, up to 185&nbsp;m long.{{sfn|Dransfield|1978}} Other monocots, particularly [[Poales]], have adopted a [[therophyte]] [[life form]].<ref name=Tillichfig1/><ref name=MausethAFG/>{{sfn|Petit et al|2014}}{{sfn|Tomlinson|Esler|1973}}{{sfn|Leck et al|2008}}