Grewia robusta bud in hot air balloon mode

The stage of Grewia robusta bud opening reached here makes the photo ideal for marketing hot air balloon rides. It also reveals the manner of flower opening in which the long limbs of the five sepals part on the sides while still retaining their grip at the top.

There are two narrow, brown bracts opposite each other at the base of the bud pedicel in picture.

Many of the short-stalked, bluish leaves point upwards here. The few lateral leaf veins angle more than curve up alongside each leaf midrib.

Age clearly does much in periodic recolouring of the upper stem parts (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Coates Palgrave, 2002; Van Wyk and Van Wyk, 1997).