coleoptile
plant anatomy
Quick Summary
cotyledons and germination
(Top) Monocotyledon (internal structures of a corn seed with stages of germination). Nutrients are stored in the cotyledon and endosperm tissue. The radicle and hypocotyl (region between the cotyledon and radicle) give rise to the roots. The epicotyl (region above the cotyledon) gives rise to the stem and leaves and is covered by a protective sheath (coleoptile). (Bottom) Eudicotyledon (internal structures of a bean seed with stages of germination). All nutrients are stored in the enlarged cotyledons. The radicle gives rise to the roots, the hypocotyl to the lower stem, and the epicotyl to the leaves and upper stem.
The coleoptile is the protective sheath that covers the first leaf of a monocotyledon, such as grasses. This structure is crucial for the plant's early growth, shielding the developing shoot (plumule) as it emerges from the soil. The term "coleoptilar" refers to anything related to the coleoptile. In grasses, the coleoptile is part of the shoot system, which is covered by this protective sheath.123
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