Which of the following are three characteristics of dicots?

• A. One cotyledon, parallel venation
• B. Vascular cambium present, seeds with cotyledon count
• C. Two cotyledons, flower parts in multiples of 4 or 5, network venation
• D. Parallel leaf venation, flower parts in threes, embryo with a single cotyledon

Answer: (C)

Dicots typically show three defining features: two cotyledons in the seed, net-like (reticulate) leaf venation, and floral parts that occur in multiples of four or five. The option that lists exactly these three characteristics matches what botanists use to identify dicots, so it’s the best answer.

The other options mix traits that belong to monocots—for example, one cotyledon with parallel leaf venation and flower parts in threes—so they don’t fit the dicot pattern as cleanly. The second choice mentions vascular cambium, which can occur in many dicots but isn’t a definitive three-trait set for identifying dicots, and the phrasing about cotyledon count isn’t a clear diagnostic trait.