| Acer velutinum | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Foliage and immature fruit, Georgia | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Sapindales |
| Family: | Sapindaceae |
| Genus: | Acer |
| Section: | Acer sect. Acer |
| Series: | Acer ser. Acer |
| Species: | A. velutinum |
| Binomial name | |
| Acer velutinum Boiss. 1846 not Pax 1893 | |
| Synonyms [2] | |
List
| |
Acer velutinum is a species of maple in the family Sapindaceae. [3] It is referred to by the common names velvet maple or Persian maple, and is native to Azerbaijan, Georgia and northern Iran. [4] It grows in the moist Caspian Hyrcanian mixed forests as wells as parts of Eastern Georgia.
It is a tall deciduous tree growing to over 40 m (130 ft) tall. [5] Young trees have smooth grey bark, becoming scaly on older trees.
It is closely related to Acer pseudoplatanus , but differs in having the flowers in erect panicles, rather than pendulous racemes. The leaves are similar, but can be larger; the leaf blade is typically 10–15 cm long and 10–18 cm broad on mature trees, but on vigorous young trees can be 25 cm broad with a petiole to 27 cm long. [6] [7]
It is occasionally cultivated in parks in western Europe, most specimens under the name Acer velutinum var. van-volxemii, [7] though this variety is no longer considered distinct from the species as a whole. [3]