Acer – from acernus, Latin name for maple

Leaves:

• opposite
• simple, usually
• palmately lobed (3–9 lobes) or compound (both palmately and pinnately) with 3–5, but rarely 9 lobes or leaflets
• some simple and unlobed leaves

Flowers:

• dioecious or andromonecious
• short racemes, panicles or corymbs
• perfect or imperfect
• small
• 5 (rarely 4) sepals, sometimes fused
• 5 (rarely 4, 6, or no) petals 5
• 8 (rarely 4, 5 or 10–12) stamens

Fruit:

• double samara (schizocarp)

Other notes:

• trees to 130 ft. or shrubs
• primarily deciduous, few evergreen
• formerly Aceraceae

Species:

• Acer circinatum (vine maple)
• Acer macrophyllum (big-leaf maple)
• Acer palmatum (Japanese maple)
• Acer rubrum (red maple)