Shanghai botanic garden is founded at a site for tree cultivation in1974,
and now serves as one of the most tree planted areas in Shanghai.
At this area of 81 ha there are more than 3000 species of plants peculiar to this region,
including 108 sorts of rare plants or plants on the verge of extinction. 

In the botanical garden, many specialists and engineers are engaged in
scientific research business, education, gardening, scene instruction,
the interior design business treating plants, etc.
An annual visitors count 700,000 or more people.

As sub gardens, there are divisions for ferns, needle-leaf trees, Magnolia,
Paeonia, Rhododendron, roses, maples, Osmanthus, and bamboo.
Besides, there are bonsai garden, medicinal herb garden,
Chinese cymbidium collection and comprehensive exhibition hall.

On October 26, 2001, I was able to visit Shanghai botanic garden only for 1 hour.
I heard it takes more than 30 minutes from the main gate to the maple garden on foot,
so I used career car of the garden. I could see only the maple garden.

First, let me show one of the group of Itayakaede (Acer pictum) from Japan.
There are deep fissures at barks and the length of the seed itself is from 1 to 1.5 cm
and seed with wing is 3 to 3.5 cm. It seemed to me Acer truncatum Bunge or something.

Next, I will show you Acer cinnamomifolium Hayata,
and it would be valid since the name plate was attached.
This species is one of the group of Tohkaede (A. buergerianum)
or Kusunohakaede (A. oblongum).
It has single leaves mostly with no lobes, and it is evergreen.
As shown in the following photos it has plenty of seeds
but most of them proved to be empty after coming back to Japan.

As for the upper left of four photographs,
its seed was covered with hair and the length with wing was at least 3.5cm - 4.0 cm.
It resembled Kajikaede (A. diabolicum) from Japan,
and I would guess it would be A. sinopurpurascens Cheng or A.franchetii Pax.
Lower left would be considered to be A.oliverianum Pax.

I cannot specify about the right side 2 species. Both of their leaves have three lobes.

Otherwise, I saw Tohkaede and something of Series Palmata or Series Sinensia.
It was a fascinating botanical garden where I would like to visit again
to observe one by one at my leisure.