''Acer binzayedii'', commonly known as ''algodoncillo'', is a species of flowering plant in the genus ''

Acer Acer may refer to: * ''Acer'' (plant), the genus of trees and shrubs commonly known as maples * Acer Inc., a computer company in Taiwan ** Acer Laboratories Incorporated, a subsidiary company of Acer, Inc., that designs and manufactures integrate ...

''. It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found els ...

Jalisco Jalisco (, , ; Nahuatl: Xalixco), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco ; Nahuatl: Tlahtohcayotl Xalixco), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal ...

State in western

Mexico Mexico ( Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guate ...

. It has a limited range, and is considered Critically Endangered.

Description

''Acer binzayedii'' is a large tree, growing to between 20 and 30 meters in height. It flowers between December and January and sets fruit from March.

Taxonomy

The formal description of the species reads as follows: "The specific epithet honours a philanthropist committed to the protection of the environment and the preservation of species, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces. Through his philanthropic endowment, the first author was able to conduct phylogeographic and taxonomic studies of Acer in tropical America; this research led to the discovery and recognition of this new species." Until 2017 it was considered a western population of ''

Acer skutchii ''Acer skutchii'', often called the cloud forest sugar maple, Guatemalan maple, Mexican sugar maple, Skutch maple, or ''álamo plateado'' is a species of flowering plant in the genus ''Acer'', native to Mexico and Guatemala. Taxonomy In 2017, p ...

''.

Range and habitat

''Acer binzayedii'' is native to ravine montane cloud forests in the

Sierra de Manantlán Sierra (Spanish for "mountain range" and " saw", from Latin '' serra'') may refer to the following: Places Mountains and mountain ranges * Sierra de Juárez, a mountain range in Baja California, Mexico * Sierra de las Nieves, a mountain range ...

of western Jalisco State. It known from two remnant populations, each less than two hectares in area, between 1,790 and 1,880 meters elevation. Mean average temperature is 18.5° C. The two cloud forest remnants are separated by pine–oak forest. It grows on intermediate rocks and

cambisol A Cambisol in the World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB) is a soil in the beginning of soil formation. The horizon The horizon is the apparent line that separates the surface of a celestial body from its sky when viewed from the pers ...

soil. It is typically found in association with ''

Carpinus tropicalis ''Carpinus tropicalis'' is a species of tree native to central and southern Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Description ''Carpinus tropicalis'' is small to medium-sized tree which grows up to 30 meters tall, with a tru ...

, Cornus disciflora, Dendropanax arboreus,

Ostrya virginiana ''Ostrya virginiana'', the American hophornbeam, is a species of '' Ostrya'' native to eastern North America, from Nova Scotia west to southern Manitoba and eastern Wyoming, southeast to northern Florida and southwest to eastern Texas. Populatio ...

'', and '' Quercus salicifolia''. ''A. binzayedii'' is susceptible to fire.

Conservation

Human disturbance is causing species' habitat to decline in area, extent and quality. The species also suffers from low genetic diversity. The population was formerly larger, but only 90 mature trees have been observed, along with a larger number of young trees.

References

binzayedii Plants described in 2017 Flora of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt Trees of Jalisco Flora of the Sierra Madre del Sur Endemic flora of Mexico {{Sapindales-stub