Acer pectinatum

Acer pectinatum or Oliver’s maple is in the soapberry or Sapindaceae family and is native to the Himalayas and nearby mountains in southwestern China, Myanmar, and the northeastern part of the Indian Subcontinent. It is a small tree, reaching up to 8 m in height.

There are 4 recognized subspecies:

• Acer pectinatum subsp. forrestii - Sichuan, Yunnan
(See subspecies details below)
• Acer pectinatum subsp. laxiflorum - Sichuan, Yunnan
(See subspecies details below)
• Acer pectinatum subsp. maximowiczii (See subspecies details below)
• Acer pectinatum subsp. pectinatum - Tibet, Yunnan, Bhutan, Assam, Myanmar, Nepal
• Acer pectinatum subsp. taronense - Sichuan, Tibet, Yunnan, Bhutan, Assam, Myanmar (See subspecies details below)

• Leaves are deciduous, simple, opposite, 10 cm wide, 8 cm across, toothless, usually with 3 or 5 lobes; leaves in the fall typically turn yellow.
• Species is dioecious; yellow flowers are small, mounted on racemes 8–12 cm long.
• Winged samaras are double, 2.5–3 cm long, blunt headed and spreading at about a right angle.