C05: Snake Bark Maple: Acer davidii

Discovered initially in China by a French missionary, it was rediscovered by an English plant collector Charles Maries in 1878 and brought into cultivation. This is a small tree, to 16 m, with a characteristic branching pattern. The bark is smooth, twists and is stripy like a snakeskin and the crown is somewhat open with arching branches. The leaves are ovate, and the flowers and fruit hang down in compact tassels.