Identification: identification of maple tree

Discussion in 'Maples' started by Soumil Yarlagadda, Aug 13, 2022.

  1. Soumil Yarlagadda

    Soumil Yarlagadda Well-Known Member Maple Society

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    hello, i found a maple tree near monterey bay, california. i have trouble iding it, any maple experts to help me identify this tree? looks like either acer serrulatum or acer buergerianum, or some asian maple species
     

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  2. Acerholic

    Acerholic Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout Maple Society

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    My thoughts are Trident, I have one and the leaves are very much like your photo Soumil.
     
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  3. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    For optimal confirmation of supposed trident maple show the overall habit and the bark. (Presentation of more than just a small portion of a tree or other plant is more likely to garner reliable responses generally).
     
    Last edited: Aug 13, 2022
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  4. Soumil Yarlagadda

    Soumil Yarlagadda Well-Known Member Maple Society

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    the samaras are very odd, though. they are shaped like section platanoides, but ill label it as trident maple for now.
     
  5. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Agree not Acer buergerianum; and agree something in sect. Platanoidea, perhaps Acer truncatum?
     
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  6. emery

    emery Renowned Contributor Maple Society 10 Years

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    This is how we know it's not buergerianum: the nutlets are flat, but Trident maple has rounded nutlets.

    20220814_173702.jpg

    So, as Michael and Soumil suggest, Sec Platanoidea has flat nutlets. But I can't really see a maple in the section that fits completely. A. truncatum has green petioles and 5 lobes, though I suppose enthusiastic growth might have 3 lobes. A. fulvescens might have 3 lobes, but the angle of them looks wrong for that maple. However, A. longipes does in some ways fit the bill. Here's a screenshot of one of the deLanghe scans:

    Screenshot from 2022-08-14 18-04-55.png

    A. longipes sometimes has red petioles, and it does have the truncate to rounded leaf base, as well as the 3-5 lobes of the mystery tree. But it has quite papery leaves, while the leaves in the picture look quite leathery? Of course it's a very rare maple indeed, so the odds of running across one seems pretty high.

    Does the mystery tree have milky sap? That's always a key thing to check when looking for an ID.
     
    Last edited: Aug 14, 2022
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  7. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Looking closely at the pic there are at least a couple of 5-lobed leaves (see red marks below); it would be worth getting more pics.
    1.jpg
     
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  8. AlainK

    AlainK Renowned Contributor Forums Moderator Maple Society 10 Years

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    It could be Acer discolor, or Acer paxii : the two are considered as synonyms by some.

    Here's a photo of the leaves on one of my A. discolor :

    acer-discolor_220816a.jpg

    PS : have a look at the thread about A. discolor in the maple photo gallery :
    Acer discolor

    There are lso a few pics of A. paxii here :
    Acer paxii - Evergreen maple
     
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