Greyia sutherlandii stem-tip in the sun

A Greyia sutherlandii stem-tip in the sun may disclose the secret of grey hairs on youngest leaves, a paradox possible on a tree commonly presenting glabrous leaves. Gradual hair loss happens so early here that no known distress accompanies the event. This may be because on plants hairs are fully functional, not partly self-image related. Greenness increases with hair loss, photosynthesis involving chlorophyll being hard work more in the “adult leaves”.

The blades in picture are not all convex. Only the small leaves are erect, the mature ones spreading and facing the sun better. Some leaf margins show teeth more than lobes, others have bigger lobes subdivided into smaller teeth (Coates Palgrave, 2002; Schmidt, et al, 2002; Pooley, 1993; iNaturalist).