Bud

"Bud" is the colloquial horticultural term for the mature, unfertilized female inflorescence of Cannabis sativa — a dense cluster of perigonal bracts, pistillate flowers, sugar leaves, and trichomes that constitutes the primary harvestable product of drug-type cultivation (Small 2015; Tanney et al. 2021). Botanically, cannabis "buds" are not true buds (undifferentiated meristems) but infructescence-stage compound racemes; the term is retained across industry, regulatory documents, and consumer usage. Cannabinoid and terpene concentrations within a bud are heterogeneous: apical (top) buds generally exhibit higher trichome density and THC/CBD content than lower lateral buds due to light-gradient effects (Livingston et al. 2020; Danziger & Bernstein 2021). Etymology: Middle English budde, of uncertain origin; possibly from Old French boter ("to push, sprout"). Synonyms/slang: flower, nug, nugget, pot, herb, weed, ganja, "nuggs." → See also: Flower (Products), Cola, Trichome, Sinsemilla, Kief (Products).