Acer is a genus of trees or shrubs commonly known as maple. The genus is placed in the Sapindaceae family.[1] There are approximately 128 species, most of which are native to Asia,[2] with a number also appearing in Europe, northern Africa, and North America. Only one species, Acer laurinum, extends to the Southern Hemisphere.[3] The type species of the genus is the sycamore maple, Acer pseudoplatanus, the most common maple species in Europe.[4]