| Status | LC |
|---|---|
| Status system | IUCN3.1 |
| Genus | Acer |
| Display parents | 2 |
| Parent | Acer ser. Trifida |
| Species | oblongum |
| Authority | Wall. ex DC. (1824) |
| Subdivision ranks | Varieties |
| Subdivision |
|
Acer oblongum, common name Himalayan maple, evergreen maple and Kashmir maple,[1] is an evergreen Asian species of maple in the family Sapindaceae.
Description
Acer oblongum is a medium-sized evergreen to semi-deciduous tree reaching a height of approximately 15–22 metres (49–72 ft). Unique among maples, this plant stays green all winter. The trunks are buttressed, with a smooth to wrinkled bark. Leaves are opposite, ovate-lanceolate with entire margin, with a petiole 5–12 cm long, with glaucous-green underside and dark green upperside. The young shoots are reddish bronze and finely hairy. The flowers are hermaphroditic, small and inconspicuous, about 4 mm, greenish white, gathered in hairy racemes. The fruits are represented by the typical two-winged samaras, about 2.5 cm long, wind dispersed. It has been introduced for its wood and it is sometimes cultivated in large gardens for its evergreen foliage.[2]
Distribution
Acer oblongum is widespread across central, eastern, and southeastern Asia, from Tibet and northern India east as far as Japan, including southern China, and northern Indochina.[3]
Varieties
Three varieties are accepted.[4]
- Acer oblongum var. itoanum Hayata – Ryukyu Islands
- Acer oblongum var. oblongum – northeastern Pakistan to central and southern China and northern Indochina
- Acer oblongum var. omeiense W.P.Fang & Soong – Sichuan
Habitat
Acer oblongum prefers humid climate of the Himalayan forests, especially along streams, at an elevation of about 600–2,000 metres (2,000–6,600 ft) above sea level.[5]
References
- ^ "Himalayan maple". Flowers of India. Archived 28 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
- ^ Philips, Roger (1979). Trees of North America and Europe. New York: Random House, Inc. ISBN 0-394-50259-0.
- ^ Flora of China, Acer oblongum Wallich ex Candolle, 1824. 飞蛾树 fei e shu
- ^ "Acer oblongum Wall. ex DC.". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
- ^ Notes from the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh. Edinburgh and Glasgow 8:329. 1915