Coccoloba uvifera revisited 

Polygonaceae

Normally a dumb ol’ bud on a branch is not worthy of your attention.   But Sea Grape, at least IMHO, has the weirdest buds in town, probably an adaptation to its windward existence blasted by burnin’ sun, howlin’ winds, and blowin’ beach sand.   The tree has massive, thick leaves, and its salty life doesn’t allow the luxury of leisurely unfolding those platters  like a delicate maple in the gentle woodland. 

By John Bradford

Seagrape pre-forms the leaf inside that gigantic bud, and wads it up within a liquid gel.    Safe from maritime unpleasantries and from 3-digit heat index.  The future next-young-stem- segment is waiting in the bud too, and pushes out behind the new leaf.  When the time is right, the protected leaf and baby stem pop forth together to expand the branch a foot or so until a new bud forms and potentially suspends growth. Branch growth bobbing and weaving  is episodic and zig-zagged, unlike most woody species  that merely grow along the straight and narrow with no worries.

The new leaf inside the bud looks like my idea of a green brain inside a skull (never actually saw one but have watched zombie movies), and isn’t our brain cushioned by liquid gel?    The buds are like little human heads, complete with hair.

Bud side view

What’s particularly weird is that tassel on top. I may be utterly incorrect, but I betcha it is there to protect that big, complex, precious, vulnerable liquid-filled bud.   The tassel would break up the nasty wind sweeping over the critical bud tip (just outside the “brain”) and diminish evaporation of the liquid gel.  It might even catch a little fog, mist, dew, or drizzle to help resist drying.   

To be far-fetched, the tassel might additionally block mutation-causing UV from bothering the tender tissues, but ok that’s a stretcher. 

When growth resumes and the leaf and stem come forth, they push through the tassel or immediately alongside it.

Not brain surgery. Inside the opened bud green innards are the wadded leaf in the liquid gel.