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Platanus occidentalis

L.

Sycamore

G5Secure Found in 72 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.138935
Element CodePDPLT01020
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderHamamelidales
FamilyPlatanaceae
GenusPlatanus
Other Common Names
American sycamore (EN) American Sycamore (EN) Platane occidental (FR)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2024-07-16
Change Date1984-01-25
Edition Date2024-07-16
Edition AuthorsSoteropoulos (2024)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Platanus occidentalis is a wide-ranging tree along streams and rivers occurring in eastern and central North America from Quebec and Ontario, Canada and Wisconsin west to Nebraska, United States south to Florida, Texas, and Mexico. Threats include development, rights-of-way maintenance, recreational activities, and invasive species. Little is known about trends, but with a large range extent and large number of occurrences, abundant habitat, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Platanus occidentalis occurs in eastern and central North America from Quebec and Ontario, Canada and Wisconsin west to Nebraska, United States south to Florida, Texas, and Mexico (FNA 1997). Range extent was estimated to be over 5 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1993 and 2024 (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1993 and 2024, it is estimated that there are thousands occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, this species is potentially threatened by development, rights-of-way maintenance, recreational activities, invasive species, and other threats in some places. However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Platanus occidentalis is "often abundant on alluvial soils near streams and lakes and in moist ravines, sometimes on uplands, sometimes on limestone soils, cultivated in parks and gardens and as a street tree" and can be weedy on rocky roadcuts (FNA 1997, Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2024).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/WoodlandForest EdgeSuburban/orchardUrban/edificarian
Palustrine Habitats
FORESTED WETLANDRiparian
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN4
ProvinceRankNative
OntarioS4Yes
QuebecS1Yes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
VermontS4Yes
OhioSNRYes
Rhode IslandSNRYes
DelawareS5Yes
New YorkS5Yes
AlabamaSNRYes
GeorgiaSNRYes
MassachusettsSNRYes
North CarolinaS5Yes
FloridaSNRYes
IowaS4Yes
ConnecticutSNRYes
IndianaS5Yes
MarylandSNRYes
South CarolinaSNRYes
ArkansasSNRYes
KansasS4Yes
NebraskaS4Yes
District of ColumbiaS5Yes
MichiganSNRYes
MaineSXYes
TennesseeSNRYes
MissouriSNRYes
TexasSNRYes
KentuckyS5Yes
New JerseyS4Yes
MississippiSNRYes
LouisianaSNRYes
New HampshireSNRYes
PennsylvaniaS5Yes
VirginiaS5Yes
OklahomaSNRYes
West VirginiaS5Yes
IllinoisSNRYes
WisconsinS2Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
Unknown/undetermined———

—

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL, Long-lived
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (72)
Alabama (1)
AreaForestAcres
Oakey MountainTalladega National Forest6,129
Arkansas (4)
AreaForestAcres
Bear MountainOuachita National Forest1,910
Blue MountainOuachita National Forest9,755
Gee CreekOzark-St. Francis National Forest7,957
Little BlakelyOuachita National Forest3,342
Georgia (2)
AreaForestAcres
Joe GapChattahoochee National Forest5,321
Pink KnobChattahoochee National Forest12,127
Idaho (1)
AreaForestAcres
Bear CreekCaribou-Targhee National Forest118,582
Illinois (1)
AreaForestAcres
Burke BranchShawnee National Forest6,231
Indiana (1)
AreaForestAcres
Mogan RidgeHoosier National Forest8,435
Kentucky (1)
AreaForestAcres
WolfpenDaniel Boone National Forest2,835
Missouri (1)
AreaForestAcres
Spring Creek Rare II Study AreaMark Twain National Forest4,899
North Carolina (11)
AreaForestAcres
Bald MountainPisgah National Forest11,085
Balsam ConePisgah National Forest10,591
Cheoah BaldNantahala National Forest7,795
Chunky Gal (addition)Nantahala National Forest3,336
Craggy MountainPisgah National Forest2,657
Harper CreekPisgah National Forest7,325
Jarrett CreekPisgah National Forest7,485
Pond Pine BCroatan National Forest2,961
Slide HollowPisgah National Forest193
South Mills RiverPisgah National Forest8,588
Tusquitee BaldNantahala National Forest13,670
Pennsylvania (3)
AreaForestAcres
Allegheny FrontAllegheny National Forest7,430
Clarion RiverAllegheny National Forest3,821
Tracy RidgeAllegheny National Forest9,034
Tennessee (5)
AreaForestAcres
Bald MountainCherokee National Forest11,743
Beaver Dam CreekCherokee National Forest5,070
Devil's BackboneCherokee National Forest4,287
Slide HollowCherokee National Forest4,057
Stone MountainCherokee National Forest5,367
Utah (3)
AreaForestAcres
418025Uinta National Forest32,698
Mt. Logan SouthWasatch-Cache National Forest17,014
South FrancisWasatch-Cache National Forest3,374
Vermont (2)
AreaForestAcres
Bread LoafGreen Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,768
Griffith Lake 09084Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,833
Virginia (25)
AreaForestAcres
Adams PeakGeorge Washington National Forest7,135
Bear CreekJefferson National Forest18,274
Beards MountainGeorge Washington National Forest7,505
Beaver Dam CreekJefferson National Forest1,135
Brush MountainJefferson National Forest6,002
Gum RunGeorge Washington National Forest12,620
Hoop HoleJefferson National Forest4,652
James River AdditionJefferson National Forest1,140
JerkemtightGeorge Washington National Forest16,687
Kelley MountainGeorge Washington National Forest7,590
Laurel ForkGeorge Washington National Forest9,967
Little AlleghanyGeorge Washington National Forest10,215
Little RiverGeorge Washington National Forest27,292
Mountain Lake Addition AJefferson National Forest1,469
New London Bridge BranchJefferson National Forest844
North MountainJefferson National Forest8,377
Northern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest9,444
Oak KnobGeorge Washington National Forest10,882
Oliver MountainGeorge Washington National Forest13,090
Peters Mountain Addition BJefferson National Forest2,909
Saint Marys AdditionGeorge Washington National Forest1,454
Seng MountainJefferson National Forest6,428
SkidmoreGeorge Washington National Forest5,641
Southern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest11,985
Three SistersGeorge Washington National Forest8,149
West Virginia (11)
AreaForestAcres
Cranberry AdditionMonongahela National Forest11,123
Dolly Sods Roaring PlainMonongahela National Forest13,392
Dry River (WV)George Washington National Forest7,331
Gauley MountainMonongahela National Forest13,285
Glady ForkMonongahela National Forest3,239
Laurel ForkMonongahela National Forest1,172
Little MountainMonongahela National Forest8,172
Marlin MountainMonongahela National Forest9,344
Mcgowan MountainMonongahela National Forest10,504
Middle MountainMonongahela National Forest19,020
North Mountain HopevilleMonongahela National Forest6,525
References (8)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 1997. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 3. Magnoliophyta: Magnoliidae and Hamamelidae. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxiii + 590 pp.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2024. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2024).
  3. iNaturalist. 2024. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2024).
  4. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  5. Little, E.L., Jr. 1979. Checklist of United States trees (native and naturalized). Agriculture Handbook No. 541. U.S. Forest Service, Washington, D.C. 375 pp.
  6. NatureServe. 2024. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  7. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2024. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2024).
  8. Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2024. Flora of the southeastern United States. Edition of March 4, 2024. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 2203 pp.