The stem portion of a plant embryo or seedling located below the cotyledons and above the radicle. In many plants, the hypocotyl elongates during germination to push the cotyledons above the soil surface.
From Greek 'hypo' meaning 'under' or 'below' and 'kotyledon' meaning 'seed leaf.' The term was established in botanical terminology during the development of detailed plant anatomy studies in the 18th and 19th centuries.
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