Final answer:
Cotyledons, or seed leaves, are the first leaves that emerge from a germinating seed, providing nutrition and initiating photosynthesis for the seedling. They serve as conduits for stored food reserves crucial for early growth, until the plant can produce its own food through photosynthesis.
Step-by-step explanation:
What are Cotyledons?
The term for the seed leaves that provide nutrition and early photosynthesis in a developing seedling is cotyledons. Cotyledons are the first leaves that emerge from a germinating seed. They play a crucial role in the early life of a seedling by being the initial structures that soak up sunlight and begin the process of photosynthesis, hence supplying the energy required for further growth. Additionally, they act as a conduit transferring stored food reserves from the seed to the developing embryo. This stored food can be in the form of complex carbohydrates, lipids, or proteins, which are essential materials for the growth of the plant.
In the case of dicotyledonous (dicot) plants, there are typically two cotyledons, while monocotyledonous (monocot) plants usually have one. These cotyledons start the process of photosynthesis as soon as they emerge, which is crucial as the seedling transitions from relying on stored seed nutrients to producing its own food through photosynthesis. As the plant matures, the cotyledons will typically wither as the true leaves take over the role of photosynthesis full time.