Maples’s triplets samaras

Credit: Diotime

Q: I found a triplet winged norway maple seed. Is this of interest to anyone? Do you think if I grow the seed they will germinate and produce triplet winged seeds?

Maples occasionally produce triplet samaras, and these will often be associated with branches that also produce triplet leaves. Bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum), Norway maple (A. platanoides) and sycamore maple (A. pseudoplatanus), all seem to be prone. However, these species produce comparatively large fruits, which are perhaps more obvious than those of other maples. Close inspection of other, smaller species would probably reveal a similar frequency for this mutation.