cataphyll

English

Etymology

cata- +‎ -phyll; intended as translation of German niederblatt, literally, “lower leaf”.[1]

Noun

cataphyll (plural cataphylls)

  1. (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.

Translations

References
  1. “cataphyll”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
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