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

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

The basal part for a short length where united to the undeveloped hypocotyl and radicle is strongly geotropic, whilst the whole upper part is strongly apogeotropic.

From The Power of Movement in Plants by Darwin, Charles

With dicotyledonous seeds, after the protrusion of the radicle, the hypocotyl breaks through the seed-coats; but if the cotyledons are hypogean, it is the epicotyl which breaks forth.

From The Power of Movement in Plants by Darwin, Charles

Another and somewhat old hypocotyl was placed so as to stand at only 31o from the perpendicular, in which position apogeotropism acted on it with little force, and its course accordingly was slightly zigzag.

From The Power of Movement in Plants by Darwin, Charles

When they contain a large stock of nutriment they generally remain buried beneath the ground, owing to the small development of the hypocotyl; and thus they have a better chance of escaping destruction by animals.

From The Power of Movement in Plants by Darwin, Charles