Cataphyll

Some, such as spines, corm-scales, and bud-scales, may be persistent but may not perform their major function until they die, whether or not they are physically shed.

[citation needed] Protective masses of dead leaves encircle the stems of some species of palm trees or aloes, but those are not usually regarded as cataphylls because their primary function while alive is photosynthesis.

Some, such as the cotyledons of many legumes, conifers, and cucurbits, develop chlorophyll and perform the first photosynthesis for the germinating plant.

[citation needed] Like bulb-scales, corm scales are largely the basal parts of the photosynthetic leaves that show up above ground.

Some species of cormous plants, such as some Lapeirousia, also produce cataphylls that act solely as tunic leaves for the corm.

The stems of Athrotaxis are covered with small flat pointed leaves called "scale leaves" or "cataphylls".
Leaf bud of American Sweet gum ( Liquidambar styraciflua ); the cataphylls covering the bud show a little chlorophyll, but they shed instead of growing into photosynthetic leaves.
Acer pseudoplatanus seedling showing cotyledons that supplied the first photosynthetic function for the growing plant. They will soon drop off after the young leaves grow large enough to take over.
Opuntia compressa , commonly called the Eastern Prickly Pear. Each areole contains one or more fixed, large spines as well as a sheaf of glochidia. The spines are examples of cataphylls. [ citation needed ]