The Papaturro (Coccoloba caracasana), known as Big-Leaf Seagrape or Wild Grape, is a distinctive tree that catches the eye with its exceptionally large, round leaves that can span a dinner plate. Unlike its famous coastal cousin the Sea Grape (C. uvifera), this species thrives inland in Costa Rica's dry forests, forest edges, and disturbed areas. Its clusters of small grape-like fruits feed birds and wildlife, while the tree itself provides welcome shade with its broad, tropical leaves. The Papaturro is a perfect example of how the buckwheat family (Polygonaceae) has produced some truly impressive tropical trees far removed from the small herbaceous plants most people associate with that family.

The Papaturro challenges our assumptions about plant families. When you think of the buckwheat family, you probably picture small plants with triangular seeds or rhubarb in a pie—not a tropical tree with leaves the size of serving platters. Yet here stands the Papaturro, proof that evolution can take a body plan in unexpected directions when given millions of years and a tropical climate to work with. Those enormous round leaves, looking almost artificial in their perfect symmetry, mark this tree as something special even from a distance. And then there are the fruits—clusters of tiny grapes that bring flocks of birds and provide wild food for anyone who knows to look. In Costa Rica's dry forests, where the Papaturro thrives along roadsides and forest edges, it serves as a pioneer species, a wildlife cafeteria, and a living lesson in how nature plays with form. The next time you see those distinctive dinner-plate leaves, take a moment to appreciate this unexpected tropical giant of the buckwheat family.