Which structure is the large, shield-shaped cotyledon in the embryo of a monocot?

Which structure is the large, shield-shaped cotyledon in the embryo of a monocot?

• A. Scutellum
• B. Coleoptile
• C. Coleorhiza
• D. Pulvinus

Answer: (A)

In monocot seeds, there is a single cotyledon, which is typically large and shield-shaped—the scutellum. This scutellum sits against the endosperm and is specialized to absorb nutrients and transfer them to the developing embryo during germination, helping the seedling get started. The other structures have different roles: the coleoptile protects the shoot as it grows upward, the coleorhiza protects the embryonic root, and the pulvinus is a leaf base region involved in movement. So the large, shield-shaped cotyledon in a monocot embryo is the scutellum.

In monocot seeds, there is a single cotyledon, which is typically large and shield-shaped—the scutellum. This scutellum sits against the endosperm and is specialized to absorb nutrients and transfer them to the developing embryo during germination, helping the seedling get started. The other structures have different roles: the coleoptile protects the shoot as it grows upward, the coleorhiza protects the embryonic root, and the pulvinus is a leaf base region involved in movement. So the large, shield-shaped cotyledon in a monocot embryo is the scutellum.