Acer pentaphyllum
Acer pentaphyllum in the Quarryhill Botanical Garden
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Sapindaceae
Genus: Acer
Section: Acer sect. Pentaphylla
Series: Acer ser. Pentaphylla
Species:
A. pentaphyllum
Binomial name
Acer pentaphyllum
Diels 1931

Acer pentaphyllum (五小叶槭 wu xiao ye qi) is a very rare, endangered maple species endemic to southwestern Sichuan in China, at altitudes of 2300–2900 meters.[2]

Acer pentaphyllum is a deciduous tree that grows to 10 meters in height. Leaves are palmately compound hairless, usually with 5 lobes but sometimes with 4 or 7. Leaflet are 5-8 × 1.5–2 cm, narrowly lanceolate or lanceolate.[2][3]

Conservation

Acer pentaphyllum is listed as "critically endangered" on the Red List of Threatened Species by the IUCN with a recorded population of less than 500 plants left in the wild. Experts believe that survival is threatened by a combination of factors, including habitat loss, animal grazing, the harvest of woody fuel by local farmers, and fragmentation. Several concerned individuals and organizations have been working to ensure this species is conserved and saved from extinction. Most of these works done by experts to conserve this species include the establishment of ex situ conservation sites and Environmental Public Interest Litigation Cases on behalf of this species. The UBC Botanic Garden established an ex situ conservation site at the UBC Botanic Garden for the conservation of this critically endangered Acer Pentaphyllum species. Also in China, an organization known as the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) is one of the organizations in China working to conserve this plant species. An example includes the establishment of ex situ conservation sites through (Community Conservation Area(CCAfa)) at 3 different regions in China such as Tianshui, Lanzhou and Xing'an Meng. CBCGDF filed a civil public interest environmental lawsuit against a hydropower company for potentially threatening the survival of the plant by building a new power station in southwest China. The Garze intermediate court accepted the case in Dec. 2015.[4]

References

  1. ↑ Barstow, M.; Wang, K.; Crowley, D. (2019). "Acer pentaphyllum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T193850A2285958. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T193850A2285958.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 Flora of China Acer pentaphyllum Diels, Notizbl. 1931. 五小叶枫 wu xiao ye feng
  3. ↑ Diels, Friedrich Ludwig Emil 1931. Notizblatt des Botanischen Gartens und Museums zu Berlin-Dahlem 11(103): 212
  4. ↑ "Chinese court rules hydropower company to protect rare plant - Xinhua | English.news.cn". www.xinhuanet.com. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
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