Acer /ˈeɪsər/ is a genus of trees and shrubs commonly known as maples. The genus is placed in the family Sapindaceae.[1] There are approximately 132 species, most of which are native to Asia,[2] with a number also appearing in Europe, northern Africa, and North America. Only one species, Acer laurinum, extends to the Southern Hemisphere.[3] The type species of the genus is the sycamore maple, Acer pseudoplatanus, the most common maple species in Europe.[4] The maples usually have easily recognizable palmate leaves (Acer negundo is an exception) and distinctive winged fruits. The closest relatives of the maples are the horse chestnuts. Maple syrup is made from the sap of some maple species.
The oldest known fossil definitive representative of genus Acer was described from a single leaf found in Alaska from the Lower Paleocene. Samaras have been found in rocks as old as 66.5 Ma, but the samaras cannot reliably be attributed to the Acer genus.[5][6]
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