Cotyledon

Synonyms

Coleoptile

Coleoptiles

Cotyledons

Leaf, Seed

Leave, Seed

Leaves, Seed

Seed Leaf

Seed Leave

Seed Leaves

A part of the embryo in a seed plant. The number of cotyledons is an important feature in classifying plants. In seeds without an endosperm, they store food which is used in germination. In some plants, they emerge above the soil surface and become the first photosynthetic leaves. (From Concise Dictionary of Biology, 1990)