Acer monspessulanum

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Acer monspessulanum
Acer monspessulanum fg02.jpg
Foliage
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Sapindaceae
Genus: Acer
Section: Acer sect. Acer
Series: Acer ser. Monspessulana
Species:
A. monspessulanum
Binomial name
Acer monspessulanum
L.
Acer monspessulanum range.svg
Distribution map
Synonyms [2]
List
    • Acer commutatumC.Presl
    • Acer denticulatumDippel
    • Acer heckianumAsch. ex Wesm.
    • Acer hungaricumBorbás
    • Acer illyricumJ.Jacq.
    • Acer liburnicum(Pax) Dippel
    • Acer monspessulanum subsp. athoum(Bornm. & Sint.) Lippold ex F.K.Mey.
    • Acer monspessulanum var. athoumBornm. & Sint.
    • Acer monspessulanum subf. cruciatumJovan.
    • Acer monspessulanum subf. obtentumJovan.
    • Acer monspessulanum subf. tenuilobumJovan.
    • Acer rectangulumDulac
    • Acer talyschenseRadde-Fom.
    • Acer trifoliumDuhamel
    • Acer trilobatumLam.
    • Acer trilobum]]Moench

Acer monspessulanum, the Montpellier maple, is a species of maple native to the Mediterranean region from Morocco and Portugal in the west, to Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, and Israel in the east, and north to the Jura Mountains in France and the Eifel in Germany. [3] [4] [5]

Contents

Description

Acer monspessulanum is a medium-sized deciduous tree or densely branched shrub that grows to a height of 10–15 m (rarely to 20 m). [6] The trunk is up to 75 cm diameter, with smooth, dark grey bark on young trees, becoming finely fissured on old trees. Among similar maples is most easily distinguished by its small three-lobed leaves, 3–6 cm long and 3–7 cm wide, glossy dark green, sometimes a bit leathery, and with a smooth margin, with a 2–5 cm petiole. The leaves fall very late in autumn, typically in November. The flowers are produced in spring, in pendulous, yellow to white corymbs 2–3 cm long. The samaras are 2–3 cm long with rounded nutlets. [4] [5]

Flowers and young leaves in spring Acer monspessulanum subsp turcomanicum flower.jpg
Flowers and young leaves in spring

Subspecies

It is variable, and a number of subspecies and varieties have been described, but few are widely accepted as distinct. The most widely accepted as distinct is Acer monspessulanum subsp. microphyllum (Boiss.) Bornmueller, from Turkey and Lebanon, with smaller leaves not over 3 cm broad. [4]

The species can be mistaken for Acer campestre (field maple), another maple native to Europe, from which it is best distinguished by the clear sap in the leaves (milk-white in field maple), and the much narrower angle between the samara wings. [4] [5]

Cultivation

Among maples not endemic to Japan, A. monspessulanum (and the similar A. campestre) are popular among bonsai enthusiasts. [7] In both cases, the smallish leaves and shrubby habit of the maple respond well to techniques to encourage leaf reduction and ramification. [8] These bonsai have an appearance distinct from those created from maples such as Acer palmatum whose leaves are more frilly and translucent.[ citation needed ]

Otherwise, Acer monspessulanum is rarely seen in cultivation outside of arboreta. In the United States, a mature specimen may be seen at Arnold Arboretum in Boston, Massachusetts. A specimen can also be found in the arboretum of the Montreal Botanical Gardens.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

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<i>Acer buergerianum</i> Species of plant

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<i>Acer shirasawanum</i> Species of maple

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<i>Acer japonicum</i> Species of maple

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<i>Acer mandshuricum</i> Species of maple

Acer mandshuricum, the Manchurian maple, is a species of maple native to China, Korea and Russia.

<i>Acer triflorum</i> Species of maple

Acer triflorum, the three-flowered maple, is a species of maple native to hills of northeastern China and Korea.

<i>Acer maximowiczianum</i> Species of maple

Acer maximowiczianum, is a species of maple widely distributed in China and Japan.

<i>Acer laevigatum</i> Species of maple

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<i>Acer <span style="font-style:normal;">×</span> zoeschense</i> Maple hybrid

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<i>Acer davidii</i> Species of maple

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<i>Acer rufinerve</i> Species of maple

Acer rufinerve, the grey-budded snake-bark-maple, redvein maple or Honshū maple, is a species of tree in the snakebark maple group, related to Acer capillipes. It is native to mountain forests of Japan, on Honshū, Kyūshū and Shikoku.

<i>Acer crataegifolium</i> Species of maple

Acer crataegifolium , is a species of maple in the snakebark maple group, native to mountains forests of central and southern Japan, on Honshū, Kyūshū, and Shikoku.

<i>Acer sieboldianum</i> Species of maple

Acer sieboldianum is a species of maple native to Japan and common in the forests of Hokkaidō, Honshū, Shikoku and Kyūshū Islands; in the south of the range it is restricted to mountain forests. It is named after Philipp Franz von Siebold.

<i>Acer cissifolium</i> Species of maple

Acer cissifolium is a maple native to Japan, from southern Hokkaidō south through Honshū and Shikoku to Kyūshū.

<i>Acer miyabei</i> Species of maple

Acer miyabei is a species of maple native to Japan, where it occurs in Hokkaidō and the Tōhoku region in northern Honshū.

<i>Ulmus parvifolia</i> Species of tree

Ulmus parvifolia, commonly known as the Chinese elm or lacebark elm, is a species native to eastern Asia, including China, India, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. It has been described as "one of the most splendid elms, having the poise of a graceful Nothofagus".

<i>Acer palmatum</i> Species of maple

Acer palmatum, commonly known as Japanese maple, palmate maple, or smooth Japanese maple (Japanese: irohamomiji, イロハモミジ, or momiji,, is a species of woody plant native to Japan, Korea, China, eastern Mongolia, and southeast Russia. Many different cultivars of this maple have been selected and they are grown worldwide for their large variety of attractive forms, leaf shapes, and spectacular colors.

References

  1. Crowley, D., Rivers, M.C. & Barstow, M. 2018. Acer monspessulanum (errata version published in 2018). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T193835A135202094. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-1.RLTS.T193835A124731677.en. Accessed 9 October 2022.
  2. "Acer monspessulanum L." Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2017. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  3. "Flora Europaea Search Results". websites.rbge.org.uk.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Rushforth, K. D. (1999). Trees of Britain and Europe. ISBN   0-00-220013-9.
  5. 1 2 3 van Gelderen, C.J. & van Gelderen, D.M. (1999). Maples for Gardens: A Color Encyclopedia.
  6. "Acer monspessulanum". erick.dronnet.free.fr.
  7. Bonsai Club International: Acer monspessulanum Archived November 11, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
  8. Bonsai Club International: Acer campestre Archived November 11, 2006, at the Wayback Machine