Did you know that the leaves in picture above are called cotyledons? These baby Super Sioux Tomatoes have not yet developed what are referred to as their true leaves. Cotyledon means seed leaf as the cotyledon are part of the seed plant's embryo. In other words, they are present prior to germination. True leaves develop post-embryonically (after germination) and are distinctly different in appearance. Prior to germination, the cotyledon store food for the plant. When the cotyledon emerge, they provide the tomato plant with a means for photosynthesis. True leaves, however, are better at this job. Also, not all species' cotyledon are photosynthetic.
Eventually, cotyledon die and fall off. If they have not died off before my husband and I prepare for transplanting, we usually bury them in the soil in the new pot. This helps the plant focus its energy on new growth.
Sources:
Oxford University Press. Dictionary of Biology. 5th ed. New York: Oxford, 2004. Print.
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