Acer platanoides (Introduced- USA)

Acer platanoides L., Sp. Pl. 1055 1753. (syn: Acer cappadocicum subsp. turkestanicum (Pax) A.E.Murray; Acer dieckii (Pax) Pax ..; Acer fallax Pax; Acer laciniatum Borkh. ex Tratt.; Acer lactescens Pers.; Acer laetum var. cordifolium R.Uechtr. & Sint.; Acer lobelii var. dieckii Pax; Acer lobergii Dippel; Acer palmatifidum Tausch ex Steud. [Invalid]; Acer platanifolium Stokes; Acer platanoides f. acuminatum Schwer. ……………………………….; Acer reitenbachii Dippel; Acer rotundum Dulac; Acer schwedleri K.Koch; Acer vitifolium Opiz ex Tausch.; Euacer acutifolium Opiz; Euacer platanoides (L.) Opiz);

Acer platanoides (Norway maple) is a species of maple native to eastern and central Europe and southwest Asia, from France east to Russia, north to southern Scandinavia and southeast to northern Iran.^[2]^[3]

It is part of the Acer family, or the Maple family.

It is a deciduous tree, growing to 20–30 m (66–98 ft) tall with a trunk up to 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) in diameter, and a broad, rounded crown. The bark is grey-brown and shallowly grooved; unlike many other maples, mature trees do not tend to develop a shaggy bark. The shoots are green at first, soon becoming pale brown; the winter buds are shiny red-brown.

The leaves are opposite, palmately lobed with five lobes, 7–14 cm (2.8–5.5 in) long and 8–20 cm (3.1–7.9 in) (rarely 25 cm (9.8 in)) across; the lobes each bear one to three side teeth, and an otherwise smooth margin. The leaf petiole is 8–20 cm (3.1–7.9 in) long, and secretes a milky juice when broken. The autumn colour is usually yellow, occasionally orange-red.

The flowers are in corymbs of 15–30 together, yellow to yellow-green with five sepals and five petals 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) long; flowering occurs in early spring before the new leaves emerge. The fruit is a double samara with two winged seeds; the seeds are disc-shaped, strongly flattened, 10–15 mm (0.39–0.59 in) across and 3 mm (0.12 in) thick. The wings are 3–5 cm (1.2–2.0 in) long, widely spread, approaching a 180° angle. It typically produces a large quantity of viable seeds.

The wood is hard, yellowish-white to pale reddish, with the heartwood not distinct; it is used for furniture and turnery.^[9]

^{Norway Maple has been widely placed into cultivation in other areas, including western Europe northwest of its native range.}

(From Wikipedia on 28.1.14)