Swedish Whitebeam - Sorbus x intermedia




Common name(s):  Swedish whitebeam
Scientific name:  Sorbus x intermedia (triple hybrid between s. aucuparia, s. torminalis, s. aria)
Family:  Rose - Rosaceae
Native range:   Southern Sweden and nearby areas
Type: deciduous
Non-native range:  Planted as an urban ornamental tree
Average height range:  10 - 20 meters
Forest or habitat:  
Wood density and quality:  
Leaf shape: orbicular - obtuse (almost circular)
Leaf arrangement:  
Leaf margin:  lobate - serrate
Leaf venation:  pinnate
Leaf stem:  1cm approx.
Leaf surface:   dark green, glabrous, (Reverse - grayish-green, pubescent (hairy))
Inflorescence: Corymb
Flower: White, 5 petals, 1cm
Reproduction: tetraploid apomictic
Fruit: Orange to read oval pome
Edible?:  no
Seed dispersal mechanism:  birds (Thrushes and Waxwings)
Bark:  Gray  and fairly smooth
Traditional uses:  ornamental
Commercial uses:   ornamental
Invasiveness:   unknown






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Árboles madrileños, Antonio López Lillo y Antonio López Santalla, 2007, Obra Social Caja Madrid.

Norway Maple - Acer platanoides L


Common name(s):  Norway maple
Scientific name:   Acer platanoides L.
Family:    Soapberry family (Sapindaceae)
Native range:  East central Europe to southwest Asia
Type: Deciduous
Non-native range:  widely planted as an urban tree in cities and parks
Average height range:  20-30 meters
Forest or habitat:  
Wood density and quality:  hard, good for furniture, color is pale-yellow to reddish.
Leaf shape:  palmate
Leaf arrangement:  Opposite
Leaf margin:  lobed, spiny (1-7 teeth-like points per lobe)
Leaf venation:  palmate
Leaf stem:  5-8 inches, 8-20 cm
Leaf surface:  glabrous (smooth, not hairy)
Inflorescence:  corymb like panicle
Flower: five sepals and five petals 3–4 mm, inconspicuous
Pollinating agents: ?
Fruit: double Samara pair
Edible?:  no
Seed description:  flattened disk-like with “wings” (samara)
Seed dispersal mechanism:  wind blown Samara
Bark:  gray-brown, grooved
Traditional uses:  ornamental, shade
Commercial uses:  furniture and wood-turning  (banister spindles etc.)
Invasiveness:  Moderate in some areas, (banned in New Hampshire and Massachusetts)
Threats: Asian long horned beetle,
Iconic or symbolic value:  Maple leaf is the national symbol of Canada and is represented on its flag.






Large-leaved Linden mite leaf galls

 These are images of some rather bizarre leaf galls on a Large-leaved Linden (Lime) tree in Madrid, Spain.  I believe that the little critters who caused these galls are some sort of mite (see bottom images).

 I opened up one of the galls and found about 20 or so of the little mites inside.