I have just seen a strange sight. Some of the watermelon seeds I started indoors have sprouted and the seed is attached to the leaf and above the soil.
Did you ever have anything like that happen?
/johnny
Are you describing that the two initial leaves are still inside the seed case as it pushes up?
If so, then some of my sunflowers, beans, and squash have done that, and Darlin’ showed me how to carefully wet them to soften them and then gently pry the seed “clamshell” apart to liberate the leaves without damaging the plant.
The 'shell' of the seed is what is attached. The best I can explain is that through the process of germination the actual seed got to the right temperature and moisture and 'opened', germinated yet the hull or the shell that protects the actual seed stayed attached to the newly formed plant. Yes, I have had it happen with melons and even tomatoes.
Finally back after lightning took out my modem & network card Monday night.
Yes; sometimes the seed cover doesn’t come of the cotyledons when they emerge. Usually, as the proto-leaves expand, it will pop off; or you can gently tease it off with a toothpick or such.
Very common in the onion family; a ‘sometimes’ in the squash/melon family; never seen it in beans or peas. Not sure about others.
Then there are others, like corn, avocados, & nuts, where the seed splits, sending a shoot up & roots down, and the seed stays put where it sprouted.