This small tree used to be considered as part of the genus dipteronia, and named Dipteronia sinensis, which only contains another species, Dipteronia dyeriana, both are endemic to mainland China. At the International Maple Symposium we were told that all scientific evidence tend to confirm that it should integrate the genus acer as shown in the attached phylogenetic chart (Buerki et al. 2010). The name above is just suggested and, waiting for universal acceptance, I thought it would be useful to start communicating on that. The fruit is a rounded samara containing two compressed nutlets, flat, encircled by a broad wing which turns from light green to red with ripening. Gomero
Seems very unlikely given its different seed structure. Further analysis is required to verify an unlikely case like this. Even if it is verified, the name would have to be Acer sinensis (Oliver) comb. nov.; there is no need to give it a new name "dipterosinensis" (and to do so contravenes the provisions of the ICBN that the oldest valid name must be used). The only case where a new name like that would be needed is if the name Acer sinensis had already been used for another maple, and it hasn't.
The attached slides are interesting in this respect. A lot of analysis has already been performed and all results seem to point in the same direction. Philogenetic analysis seem to be very conclusive. I fully agree (I was trying to be a bit provocative ;-)), except that there is already an Acer sinense, Pax (1889) which is close enough to lead to confusion. Gomero
Thanks! Yes, true that Acer sinense Pax may be a problem as a near-homonym. Can you list references? I could only find the one study (Buerki et al. 2010, Pl. Ecol. Evol. Fasttrack: 1-12) which I assume is the one you referred to above). Some other studies (e.g. this one) have placed Dipteronia as sister to all of Acer. Has anyone formally made the new combinations of Dipteronia sinensis and D. dyeriana into Acer yet? The above Buerki paper doesn't (though it does create the new family Xanthoceraceae, which suggests they deliberately decided not to make the new combinations there).
