hypocotyl

American  

[hahy-puh-kot-l] / ˌhaɪ pəˈkɒt l /

noun

Botany.

1. the part of a plant embryo directly below the cotyledons, forming a connection with the radicle.

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hypocotyl British  

/ ˌhaɪpəˈkɒtɪl /

noun

1. the part of an embryo plant between the cotyledons and the radicle

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hypocotyl Scientific  

/ hī′pə-kŏt′l /

1. The part of a plant embryo or seedling that lies between the radicle and the cotyledons. Upon germination, the hypocotyl pushes the cotyledons above the ground to develop. It eventually becomes part of the plant stem. Most seed-bearing plants have hypocotyls, but the grasses have different, specialized structures.

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Other Word Forms

• hypocotylous
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of hypocotyl

First recorded in 1875–80; hypo- + cotyl(edon)

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hypocotyl

Botanists have discovered that money is not only the root of all evil, but also its hypocotyl, petiole and axillary bud.

From Washington Post ● Feb. 17, 2022

Bean with one cotyledon removed, after sprouting had begun. a, Seed-coat; b, cotyledon; c, epicotyl; d, hypocotyl; e, endosperm.

From The First Book of Farming by Goodrich, Charles Landon

This is the case with Cucurbita ovifera: nevertheless, in whatever position the seeds were buried, the hypocotyl always came up arched in one particular direction.

From The Power of Movement in Plants by Darwin, Charles

Nevertheless there could be no doubt about the circumnutation of the hypocotyl, which described in 12 h. a figure representing three irregular ellipses of unequal sizes.

From The Power of Movement in Plants by Darwin, Charles

This is the epicotyl, and another growing tip pointed toward the lower end of the kernel; this is the hypocotyl or the part which penetrates the soil and forms roots.

From The First Book of Farming by Goodrich, Charles Landon