Acer monspessulanum

Montpellier maple is in the soapberry or Sapindaceae family and is native to the Mediterranean region from Morocco and Portugal in the west, to Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, and Israel in the east, and north to the Jura Mountains in France and the Eifel in Germany. It grows up to 15 m tall with a trunk up to 75 cm in diameter.

• Leaves are opposite, simple, and most easily distinguishable by their 3-lobes, 3–6 cm long and 3–7 cm across, glossy dark green, a bit leathery, with a smooth margin and a 2–5 cm long petiole. Leaves fall very late in autumn (November).
• Flowers are yellow to white, produced in spring in pendulous corymbs 2–3 cm long.
• Winged seeds form double samaras 2–3 cm long with a rounded tip, outer line of wings bending to be close to parallel.