dicotyledonous
/'dai,kɔti'li:dənəs/
Definition
Adjective: * In botany, describing a flowering plant (angiosperm) whose seed contains two embryonic leaves or seed leaves (cotyledons) at germination. This is a primary characteristic distinguishing dicotyledonous plants (dicots) from monocotyledonous plants (monocots), which have only one cotyledon.
Usage
The term is used as a technical, scientific adjective to classify and describe plants based on their seed structure. * It is typically used attributively (before a noun) to modify plant names or groups (e.g., dicotyledonous plants, dicotyledonous trees). * It can also be used predicatively (after a linking verb like "is" or "are").
Examples
- Attributive use: "Oak trees and rose bushes are classic examples of dicotyledonous plants."
- Predicative use: "The bean seedling is clearly dicotyledonous, as it has emerged with two distinct seed leaves."
- In classification: "Botanists divide angiosperms into two main classes: dicotyledonous and monocotyledonous."
Advanced Usage
- In botanical keys: The dicotyledonous condition is a fundamental character used in dichotomous keys for plant identification.
- In discussing plant evolution: The term is used in phylogenetic contexts, such as "Most dicotyledonous families are now grouped within the eudicot clade."
Variants and Related Words
- Dicotyledon (noun): A plant of the class Dicotyledonae (or Magnoliopsida); a dicot.
- Dicot (noun, informal): A common abbreviation for dicotyledon.
- Monocotyledonous (adjective): Having a single cotyledon; the contrasting category.
- Cotyledon (noun): An embryonic leaf in seed-bearing plants, which often becomes the first leaf/leaves to emerge after germination.
Synonyms
- Two-seed-leafed (descriptive, non-technical)
- Dicot (when used adjectivally in informal contexts, e.g., "dicot species")
Antonyms
- Monocotyledonous (adj.)
- Monocot (noun/adj., informal)
Adjective
-
(of a flowering plant) having two cotyledons in the seed
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