Maple (Acer sp.)

Maple is a genus of trees or shrubs. There are approximately 125 species, most of which are native to Asia, but several species also occur in Europe, northern Africa, and North America. The word Acer is derived from a Latin word meaning "sharp", referring to the characteristic points on the leaves.

Maples are distinguished by opposite leaf arrangement. The leaves in most species are palmate veined and lobed, with 3-9 (rarely to 13) veins each leading to a lobe, one of which is central or apical. The flowers are regular, pentamerous, and borne in racemes, corymbs, or umbels. They have four or five sepals, four or five petals about 1-6 mm long (absent in some species), four to ten stamens about 6-10 mm long, and two pistils or a pistil with two styles. Maples flower in late winter or early spring, in most species with or just after the leaves appear. Maple flowers are green, yellow, orange or red. Though individually small, the effect of an entire tree in flower can be striking in several species.

The particularly spectacular fall colors of the Acer rubrum (Red Maple) are a major contributor to the seasonal landscape in southeastern Canada and in New England. In the American Pacific Northwest and British Columbia it is the spectacular fall colors of Acer circinatum (Vine Maple) that draw tourists and photographers.

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