cataphyll
English edit
Etymology edit
cata- + -phyll; intended as translation of German niederblatt, literally, “lower leaf”.[1]
Noun edit
cataphyll (plural cataphylls)
- (botany) A leaf, sometimes abortive, sometimes persistent, that does not develop into a photosynthetic structure, but instead fulfills protective or storage functions. Examples include cotyledons, bud-scales, glochids, rhizome-scales, and bulb-scales.
Related terms edit
Translations edit
a leaf that fulfils protective or storage functions
References edit
- ^ “cataphyll”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.