Scutellum (botany)
The Scutellum is part of the structure of a barley and rice[1] seed—the modified seed leaf.
The scutellum (from the Latin scutella meaning "small shield") can also refer to the equivalence of a thin cotyledon in monocots (especially members of the grass family). It is very thin with high surface area, and serves to absorb nutrients from the endosperm during germination.[2]
The scutellum is believed to contain an as yet unidentified protein transporter that facilitates starch movement from the endosperm to the embryo.
References[edit]
- ^ Pazuki, Arman & Sohani, Mehdi (2013). "Phenotypic evaluation of scutellum-derived calluses in 'Indica' rice cultivars" (PDF). Acta Agriculturae Slovenica. 101 (2): 239–247. doi:10.2478/acas-2013-0020. Retrieved February 2, 2014.
- ^ Campbell & Reece "Biology"; 7th ed.
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