Preparation for classification of maples

1. Preparation for classification of maples

1. Botanical position of genus Acer

Genus Acer belongs to Family Aceraceae, Order Sapindales, namely, has a character of angiosperms and dicotyledons. Family Aceraceae has two genera, which are genus Acer and genus Dipteronia.

2. Distribution of Aceraceae

We can see that the distribution of maples in the Southern Hemisphere is limited to the region the Java Islands and its neighboring islands.

3. Species of genus Dipteronia

Genus Dipteronia has two species, whose leaves usually have 7-15 leaflets, which are similar to those of acer negundo. As for fruit, a film-like round wing surrounds its seed. These species are from Central China and Southwestern China. There is a meaning of two wings in its botanical name. (documents : "Zhongguo-zhiwuzhi" and "Jumoku-Daizusetsu")

Botanical Name	Chinese Name	Comments
Dipteronia sinensis	Jinqianshu	a small deciduous tree, 5-10m, 7-13leaflets, from Henan to Sichuan
Dipteronia dyerana	Yunnan-Jinqianshu	7-13m tall, 9-15 leaflets, from Yunnan & Guizhou

4. Classification of Genus Acer

The following Classification of Genus Acer is based on a document of "Maples of the World".

Section	Series	n	comments
1. Parviflora	1. Parviflora	1	A.nipponicum(tetsu-kaede) from Japan
	2. Distyla	1	A.distylum(hitotsuba-kaede) from Japan
	3. Caudata	4	A.caudatum from Asia, A.ukurunduense from Japan, A.spicatum from N.America
2. Palmata	4. Palmata	15	A.palmatum, A japonicum and their families mainly from Japan
	5. Sinensia	32	What we call Chinese maples and their families
	6. Penninervia	12	Those from China and S.E.Asia, unlobed and leathery leaves
3. Wardiana	7. Wardiana	1	A.wardii from N.Burma Yunnan China, 3 lobed leaves
4. Macrantha	8. Macrantha	21	Striped maples such as A.rufinerve, A.tschonoskii & their families
5. Glabra	9. Glabra	5	A.glabrum from N.America and its subspecies
5. Glabra	10. Arguta	5	A.argutum from Japan amd its families from Himalayas and N.E.Asia
6. Negundo	11. Negundo	4	A.negundo(box-elder) from N.America and its families
6. Negundo	12. Cissifolia	2	A.cissifoium from Japan & A.henryi from China, 3 leaflets
7. Indivisa	13. Indivisa	1	A. carpinifolium(chidorinoki) from Japan
8. Acer	14. Acer	6	Those from Europe & the Mediterranean such as A.pseudo-platanus & A.heidreichii
	15. Monspesulana	20	Those from Europe, the Mediterranean and West Asia, frequenly leathery leaves
	16. Saccharodendron	10	What we call Sugar maple from N.America and its families
9. Pentaphylla	17. Pentaphylla	1	A.pentaphyllum from China, usually 5 leaflets
9. Pentaphylla	18. Trifida	13	A.buergerianum(trident maple) from China & its families
10. Trifoliata	19. Grisea	3	A.nikoense(megusurinoki) from Japan and 2 species from China, 3 leaflets
10. Trifoliata	20. Mandshurica	2	2 species from China , 3 leaflets
11. Lithocarpa	21. Lithocarpa	6	A.diabolicum from Japan & its families from China & Himalayas
11. Lithocarpa	22. Macrophylla	1	A.macrophyllum(Oregon maple) from N.America
12. Platanoidea	23. Platanoidea	22	A.mono from Japan & A.platanoides from Europe and their families
13. Pubescentia	24. Pubescentia	2	A.pentapomicum from W.Asia & A.pilosum from W.China, 3-lobed
14. Ginnala	25. Ginnala	4	Tatarian maples from E.Europe, W.Asia & N.E.Asia containing A.aidzuense from Japan
15. Rubra	26. Rubra	3	A.pycnanthum from Japan, A.rubrum & A.saccharinum from N.America
16. Hyptiocarpa	27. Hyptiocarpa	2	Ever-green maples such as A.laurinum from tropical region
	Total count	199

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