Acer micranthum

taxobox
name = "Acer micranthum"

---

image_caption = Shoot with seeds
regnum = Plantae
unranked_divisio = Angiosperms
unranked_classis = Eudicots
unranked_ordo = Rosids
ordo = Sapindales
familia = Sapindaceae
genus = "Acer"
species = "A. micranthum"
binomial = "Acer micranthum"
binomial_authority = Siebold & Zucc.|

"Acer micranthum" is a species of maple in the snakebark maple group, native to Japan, occurring on Honshū, Kyūshū and Shikoku. It has no widely-used English name; its Japanese name is コミネカエデ "Kominekaede" (Komine Maple; "kaede" = maple).Kobe city: [http://shinrin.cool.ne.jp/sub294.html "Acer micranthum"] (in Japanese; [http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://shinrin.cool.ne.jp/sub294.html&sa=X&oi=translate& google translation] )] Kanagawa Prefecture trees and shrubs: [http://www.geocities.jp/greensv88/jumoku-zz-kominekaede.htm "Acer micranthum"] (in Japanese; [http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://www.geocities.jp/greensv88/jumoku-zz-kominekaede.htm&sa=X&oi=translate& google translation] )] Okayama science university: [http://had0.big.ous.ac.jp/plantsdic/angiospermae/dicotyledoneae/choripetalae/aceraceae/kominekaede/kominekaede.htm "Acer micranthum"] (in Japanese; [http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://had0.big.ous.ac.jp/plantsdic/angiospermae/dicotyledoneae/choripetalae/aceraceae/kominekaede/kominekaede.htm&sa=X&oi=translate& google translation] )] Kanon tree book: [http://kanon101.cool.ne.jp/foto_sinrin/K_kaede/komine_kaede/komine_kaede.htm "Acer micranthum"] (in Japanese; [http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://kanon101.cool.ne.jp/foto_sinrin/K_kaede/komine_kaede/komine_kaede.htm&sa=X&oi=translate& google translation] )] Maple World: [http://www.inh.co.jp/~hayasida/E-repo5.html Maples of Japan] ] Maple World: [http://homepage2.nifty.com/chigyoraku/acerph20.html Komine-kaede] ] Germplasm Resources Information Network: [http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?1164 "Acer micranthum"] ]

It is a small, sometimes shrubby tree growing to 6-10 m tall, with slender, arching branches. The bark is smooth and striped at first, becoming rough and dull grey on mature trees. The shoots and winter buds are dark purple-red. The leaves are 4–10 cm long and 2–8 cm broad, palmately lobed, with five deeply toothed lobes with long acuminate tips and double-serrated margins, and with distinctive tufts of orange-red hairs in the main vein axils at the base of the leaf; the petiole is 2–5 cm long. The leaves emerge red in spring and turn red again in autumn. The flowers are produced in early summer in racemes 4–10 cm long, each flower 4 mm diameter, with five yellow to greenish-yellow sepals and petals; it is dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate trees. The fruit is a paired samara with two rounded nutlets, each with a wing 1.5–2 cm long; the two wings spreading almost horizontally from each other.Ishikawa prefecture forestry research institute: [http://www.pref.ishikawa.jp/ringyo/tree/data/komineka.htm Kominekaede] (in Japanese; [http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://www.pref.ishikawa.jp/ringyo/tree/data/komineka.htm&sa=X&oi=translate& google translation] )] Kota's Nature Photo Gallery: [http://www.alpha-net.ne.jp/users2/kotam/Plants/Autumn/komine.html "Acer micranthum"] (in Japanese; [http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://www.alpha-net.ne.jp/users2/kotam/Plants/Autumn/komine.html&sa=X&oi=translate& google translation] )]

It is most closely related to "Acer tschonoskii", which replaces it further north and at higher altitudes in Japan; they have very similar leaf form.

"Acer micranthum" is occasionally cultivated as an ornamental tree in European and North American gardens.

References