A monocot or monocotyledon (mono- means one) has only one seed leaf while the dicot or dicotyledon (di- means two) has two seed leafs. Note that a cotyledon is a seed leaf. The seed inside the monocot and dicot needs a source of energy to support the embryo until it can collect its own food. In monocots, endosperm is the source of food located inside the seed coat but is separated from the seed leaf. In dicots, the seed leaf contains the endosperm.