The Genus (Maples) in Formosa 
and the Liukiu [Ryukyu] Islands 
Hui-Lin Li^ 
The species of the genus Acer in Formosa 
and the Liukiu Islands are included in the 
revisional study of the family Aceraceae made 
by Fang (1939). The Formosan species are 
also treated by Kanehira in his work on the 
Formosan trees (1936). The opinions ex- 
pressed by these two authors are widely diver- 
gent. Fang accepts practically all the species 
originally described from Formosa, whereas 
Kanehira reduces a large number to synony- 
my. Neither of the two treatments is exhaus- 
tive, as a few names pertaining to Formosan 
plants are omitted from each. 
For purposes of the present study, the 
works of these two authors, as well as other 
pertinent literature, have been critically re- 
viewed. Specimens deposited in the U. S. 
National Herbarium, Smithsonian Institution, 
and the herbarium of the National Taiwan 
University, Formosa, have been studied and 
are cited, with the abbreviations US and NTU, 
respectively. In the latter case, only selected 
specimens are listed. As a result of this study, 
eight species are recognized for Formosa and 
one for the Liukiu Islands. The Liukiu entity 
was formerly considered a variety of a Chinese 
species, but it is here raised to specific rank. 
Two new varieties are proposed herein, and 
several new synonyms are noted. 
KEY TO THE SPECIES IN FORMOSA AND 
LIUKIU ISLANDS 
A. Leaves entire. 
B. Leaves undivided, rarely indistinctly 3- 
lobed. 
^ Research Associate, Morris Arboretum, University 
of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Manu- 
script received January 28, 1952. 
C. Leaves glaucous beneath. 
D. Leaves obtuse or cuneate at base, 
not 3-nerved. 1. H. alhopurpurascens 
DD. Leaves rounded to cordate and 
distinctly 3-nerved at base 
. 2. A. itoanum 
CC. Leaves white-pubescent beneath . . ^ 
3. H. hypoleucum 
BB. Leaves 3-lobed 
.. A. A. buergertanum var. formosanum 
AA. Leaves serrate. 
B. Leaves undivided to shallowly 3- or 
rarely 5-lobed. 
C. Leaves mostly undivided, sometimes 
shallowly 3- or rarely 5-lobed; inflo- 
rescence racemose. 
D. Fruit 2-2.2 cm. long 
5. H. kawakamii 
DD. Fruit 2.5-3 cm. long 
. . 5a. A. kawakamii var. taiton- 
montanum 
CC. Leaves distinctly 3-5-lobed; inflo- 
rescence cymose 
6. H. tutcheri var. shimadai 
BB. Leaves distinctly 5- or 7-lobed. 
C. Leaves all 5-lobed. 
D. Leaves shallowly 5-lobed; fruit 1.8- 
2.3 cm. long 1 . A. rubescens 
DD. Leaves deeply 5-lobed; fruit 2.5 
cm. long 8. H. serrulatum 
CC. Leaves all 7-lobed 
9. H. palmatum var. pubescens 
1. Acer alhopurpurascens Hay. (1911: 64). 
Acer litseaefolium Hay. (1913: 66, pi. 14, b). 
Acer oblongum sensu Matsum. & Hay. 
(1906: 96); Koidz. (1911^: 55), p. p.; 
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