tricotyledonous
Definition
Adjective - Botanical classification: "tricotyledonous" describes a plant that has three cotyledons (seed leaves) in its embryo. Cotyledons are the first leaves to appear from a germinating seed.
Usage Examples
- (A plant with three seed leaves.)
- (Having three cotyledons rather than two.)
Advanced Usage
"tricotyledonous embryo": an embryo within a seed that possesses three cotyledons.
- The tricotyledonous embryo was an anomaly in this normally dicotyledonous species. (The embryo had three seed leaves, which is unusual.)
"tricotyledonous condition": the state of having three cotyledons.
- The tricotyledonous condition can occur naturally or through genetic mutation. (The presence of three seed leaves.)
Variants and Related Words
Cotyledon (n): a seed leaf; an embryonic leaf in seed-bearing plants.
- The cotyledon provides nutrients to the developing seedling. (The first leaf of a plant embryo.)
Dicotyledonous (adj): having two cotyledons.
- Most garden vegetables are dicotyledonous. (Having two seed leaves.)
Monocotyledonous (adj): having one cotyledon.
- Grasses are monocotyledonous plants. (Having one seed leaf.)
Synonyms
- Three-cotyledon: having three seed leaves.
- A three-cotyledon seedling is a rare occurrence. (A plant with three cotyledons.)
Related Idioms
- (No common idioms exist for this technical botanical term.)