coleoptile

(kō′lē äp′til, käl′ē-)

noun

the tubular protective sheath which surrounds the young shoot in the germinating grass seed

Origin: ModL coleoptilum < Gr koleos, sheath + ptilon, feather, prob. < IE *pti-, var. of base *pet-: see feather

See coleoptile in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

A protective sheath enclosing the shoot tip and embryonic leaves of grasses.

Origin:

Origin: From New Latin coleoptilum

Origin: : Greek koleon, sheath; see kel-¹ in Indo-European roots

Origin: + Greek ptilon, plume; see pet- in Indo-European roots

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coleoptile science

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