hypocotyl
/ˈhaɪpəˌkɑtəl/
noun
- The part of a plant embryo or seedling that is between the seed leaves (cotyledons) and the root. It is the stem-like region that pushes the cotyledons above the soil.
- In the lab, we measured the length of the hypocotyl to see how the seedlings responded to light.
- The gardener noticed that the hypocotyl of the young sunflower was thick and sturdy.
- When a bean seed sprouts, the hypocotyl arches upward to pull the cotyledons out of the ground.