| Platanus Temporal range:
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|---|---|
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| Leaves and fruit of an Oriental plane | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Proteales |
| Family: | Platanaceae |
| Genus: | Platanus L. |
| Species | |
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See text | |
Platanus (/ˈplætənəs/ PLAT-ən-əss[1]) is a genus consisting of a small number of tree species native to the Northern Hemisphere. They are the sole living members of the family Platanaceae.
All mature members of Platanus are tall, reaching 30–50 m (98–164 ft) in height. The type species of the genus is the Oriental plane Platanus orientalis. All except for P. kerrii are deciduous, and most are found in riparian or other wetland habitats in the wild, though proving drought-tolerant in cultivation. The hybrid London plane (Platanus × hispanica) has proved particularly tolerant of urban conditions, and has been widely planted in London and elsewhere across the temperate world.
They are often known in English as planes or plane trees. A formerly used name that is now rare is plantain tree (not to be confused with other, unrelated, species with the name).[2] Some North American species are called sycamores (especially Platanus occidentalis),[3] although the term is also used for several unrelated species of trees. The genus name Platanus comes from Ancient Greek πλάτανος, which referred to Platanus orientalis.[4]
- ^ Sunset Western Garden Book 1995.
- ^ "plantain, n.2". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
- ^ Merriam Webster.
- ^ πλάτανος. Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; A Greek–English Lexicon at the Perseus Project