The Italian Maple Tree
It is common in our mid-altitude foothills and low mountains forests along with white oak and beech. The leaves often have three lobes, sometimes five. The petioles (the stems of the leaves) are often red .
Its colours, from pale orange to bright red, brightening up Haute-Provence’s autumn.
The fruits are called samaras (winged-seeds) and, as they are grouped in pairs, disamares.
Italian Maple
Very common in our hills and low mountains together with white oak and beech. Often, leaves are three, sometimes five- lobed. The petiole is frequently reddish.
Its colours, from from pale orange to bright red, illuminate Haute-Provence falls.
Fruits are winged disamaras.
Acer opalus Mill. 1768
It is also called « duret » in French. It is called « ayart » in central Occitan dialect ; Honnorat (Vocabulaire français -provençal, 1848, reprinted 1996) gives « agas » or « dureto » in Alpine dialect.
You will also encounter in the park of the Promenade Museum and during your walks in the Haute-Provence Geopark:
The Sycamore Maple, A. platanoides
The Field Maple, A. campestris
Montpellier Maple, A. monspessulanum
