Cotyledon

A cotyledon (/ˌkɒtɪˈliːdən/; 'seed leaf' from Latin cotyledon, from Greek: κοτυληδών kotylēdōn, gen.: κοτυληδόνος kotylēdonos, from κοτύλη kotýlē 'cup, bowl') is a significant part of the embryo within the seed of a plant, and is defined as 'the embryonic leaf in seed-bearing plants, one or more of which are the first to appear from a germinating seed.' The number of cotyledons present is one characteristic used by botanists to classify the flowering plants (angiosperms). Species with one cotyledon are called monocotyledonous ('monocots'). Plants with two embryonic leaves are termed dicotyledonous ('dicots'). A cotyledon (/ˌkɒtɪˈliːdən/; 'seed leaf' from Latin cotyledon, from Greek: κοτυληδών kotylēdōn, gen.: κοτυληδόνος kotylēdonos, from κοτύλη kotýlē 'cup, bowl') is a significant part of the embryo within the seed of a plant, and is defined as 'the embryonic leaf in seed-bearing plants, one or more of which are the first to appear from a germinating seed.' The number of cotyledons present is one characteristic used by botanists to classify the flowering plants (angiosperms). Species with one cotyledon are called monocotyledonous ('monocots'). Plants with two embryonic leaves are termed dicotyledonous ('dicots').