1. protective sheaths that cover the emerging shoots of grass seedlings and other monocotyledonous plants
Usage: botanical term; plural form

Examples

• The coleoptiles protect the delicate shoot tips as they push through the soil.
• Botanists studied how light affects the growth of corn coleoptiles.
• The coleoptiles emerged from the seeds after three days of germination.
• Damage to the coleoptiles can impair the seedling’s ability to reach sunlight.
• In wheat plants, the coleoptiles help the shoots penetrate the soil surface.
• The researcher measured the length of coleoptiles in different light conditions.