Definition

1. Noun:
   • Protective outer layer of seeds of flowering plants: The "seed coat" is the hard or tough outer covering of a seed, which protects the embryo inside from physical damage, insects, and disease. It is also known as the testa.

Usage

• The "seed coat" is a botanical term used to describe a specific part of a seed's anatomy. It is a countable noun.
• It is used in scientific, agricultural, and gardening contexts.

Examples

• Noun:
  • Before germination, water must penetrate the hard seed coat.
  • The seed coat of a bean is often removed before cooking.
  • Botanists study the structure and composition of the seed coat.

Advanced Usage

• "To scarify a seed coat": To scratch, chip, or soften the seed coat to encourage germination.
  • Some seeds require scarification to break through the impermeable seed coat.

Variants and Related Words

• Testa (n): A scientific synonym for "seed coat."
  • The testa develops from the outer integuments of the ovule.
• Hilum (n): The scar on a seed coat where it was attached to the ovary wall.
  • The hilum is a visible mark on the seed coat of a bean.

Synonyms

• Testa: The outer protective layer of a seed.
• Integument: In botany, a covering, especially the outer layers of an ovule that become the seed coat.

Related Phrases

• Seed dispersal: The movement of seeds away from the parent plant, often aided by features of the seed coat.
  • The wing-like seed coat aids in wind dispersal.
• Seed dormancy: A period when a seed is alive but not growing, often maintained by the seed coat.
  • Dormancy can be broken when the seed coat decays.

Idioms

(This term is highly technical and is not commonly used in idiomatic expressions.)

Noun

1. protective outer layer of seeds of flowering plants