noun
- Plural of cataphyll; modified or reduced leaves that appear early in plant development, typically serving protective functions before true leaves emerge.
Usage: botanical term; also called scale leaves or bud scales
Examples
- The cataphylls on the plant bud protect the developing leaves from frost and damage.
- Botanists examined the cataphylls to understand the early growth stages of the seedling.
- The cataphylls fell away as the true leaves began to unfold.
- Many trees produce cataphylls that are shed before the main foliage appears in spring.