View source for Platanus

{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants constituting the family Platanaceae}}
{{Redirect|Plane tree|the mathematical structure|Ordered tree}}
{{for-multi|the mythological figure|Platanus (mythology)|the ancient town|Platanus (Cilicia)|medieval fortress|Platanus (castle)|the asteroid|9309 Platanus}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| image = Platanus orientalis fruits, Thasos.jpg
| fossil_range = {{fossilrange|Late Cretaceous | Present}}
| image_caption = Leaves and fruit of an Oriental plane
| taxon = Platanus
| authority = [[Carl Linnaeus|L.]]
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision = See text
}}

'''''Platanus''''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|p|l|æ|t|ə|n|ə|s}} {{respell|PLAT|ən|əss}}{{sfn|Sunset Western Garden Book|1995}}) is a [[genus]] consisting of a small number of [[tree]] species. They are the sole living members of the family [[Platanaceae]].

All mature members of ''Platanus'' are tall, reaching {{convert|30|-|50|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} in height. The [[type species]] of the genus is the Oriental plane ''[[Platanus orientalis]]''. All except for ''[[Platanus kerrii|P. kerrii]]'' are [[deciduous]], and most are found in [[riparian]] or other [[wetland]] [[habitat (ecology)|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 [[Plantain (disambiguation)|other, unrelated, species with the name]]).<ref>{{cite OED|plantain, n.2}}</ref> Some North American species are called '''sycamores''' (especially ''[[Platanus occidentalis]]''),{{sfn|Merriam Webster}} although the term is also used for [[Sycamore|several unrelated species of trees]]. The genus name ''Platanus'' comes from [[Ancient Greek]] {{lang|grc|πλάτανος}}, which referred to ''[[Platanus orientalis]]''.<ref>{{LSJ|pla/tanos|πλάτανος|ref}}</ref>

==Botany==
[[Image:Platane, Trsteno.JPG|thumb|Trunk of an aged ''Platanus orientalis'', in Trsteno, near [[Dubrovnik]], Croatia]]
[[File:Plane tree fruit 20180707 092951.jpg|thumb|Ripe plane tree fruit]]
The flowers are reduced and are borne in balls (globose heads); 3–7 hairy [[sepal]]s may be fused at the base, and the petals are 3–7 and are [[Leaf shape|spatulate]]. Male and female flowers are separate, but borne on the same plant ([[Monoecy|monoecious]]). The number of heads in one cluster ([[inflorescence]]) is indicative of the species (see table below). The male flower has 3–8 [[stamen]]s; the female has a superior ovary with 3–7 [[carpel]]s. Plane trees are wind-pollinated. Male flower-heads fall off after shedding their pollen.{{citation needed|date=June 2023}}

After being pollinated, the female flowers become [[achene]]s that form an aggregate ball. The fruit is a multiple of achenes  (plant systematics, Simpson M. G., 2006).  Typically, the core of the ball is 1&nbsp;cm in diameter and is covered with a net of mesh 1&nbsp;mm, which can be peeled off. The ball is 2.5–4&nbsp;cm in diameter and contains several hundred achenes, each of which has a single seed and is conical, with the point attached downward to the net at the surface of the ball. There is also a tuft of many thin stiff yellow-green bristle fibers attached to the base of each achene. These bristles help in wind dispersion of the fruits as in the [[dandelion]].{{citation needed|date=June 2023}}

The leaves are [[leaf shape|simple]] and alternate. In the subgenus ''Platanus'' they have a palmate outline. The base of the leaf stalk (petiole) is enlarged and completely wraps around the young stem bud in its axil. The axillary bud is exposed only after the leaf falls off.{{citation needed|date=June 2023}}

The mature bark peels off or exfoliates easily in irregularly shaped patches, producing a mottled, scaly appearance. On old trunks, bark may not flake off, but thickens and cracks instead.{{citation needed|date=June 2023}}

==Phylogeny==
There are two subgenera, subgenus ''Castaneophyllum'' containing the anomalous ''[[Platanus kerrii|P. kerrii]]'', and subgenus ''Platanus'', with all the others; recent studies in Mexico<ref name="Nixon-2003">{{Cite journal |last1=Nixon |first1=Kevin C. |last2=Poole |first2=Jackie M. |year=2003 |title=Revision of the Mexican and Guatemalan Species of Platanus (Platanaceae) |journal=Lundellia |language=en |volume=6 |issue=1 |pages=103–137 |doi=10.25224/1097-993X-6.1.4 |s2cid=90869751 |issn=1097-993X|doi-access=free }}</ref><ref name="Grimm-2010">{{Cite journal |last1=Grimm |first1=Guido W. |last2=Denk |first2=Thomas |year=2010 |title=The reticulate origin of modern plane trees (''Platanus'', Platanaceae): A nuclear marker puzzle |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/tax.591014 |journal=[[Taxon (journal)|Taxon]] |language=en |volume=59 |issue=1 |pages=134–147 |doi=10.1002/tax.591014|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref name="De Castro-2013">{{Cite journal |last1=De Castro |first1=Olga |last2=Di Maio |first2=Antonietta |last3=Lozada García |first3=José Armando |last4=Piacenti |first4=Danilo |last5=Vázquez-Torres |first5=Mario |last6=De Luca |first6=Paolo |year=2013 |title=Plastid DNA sequencing and nuclear SNP genotyping help resolve the puzzle of central American Platanus |journal=[[Annals of Botany]] |language=en |volume=112 |issue=3 |pages=589–602 |doi=10.1093/aob/mct134 |issn=1095-8290 |pmc=3718222 |pmid=23798602}}</ref> have increased the number of accepted species in this subgenus. Within subgenus ''Platanus'', evidence from both [[Chloroplast DNA|chloroplast]]<ref name="De Castro-2013" /><ref name="Feng-2005">{{Cite journal |last1=Feng |first1=Yun |last2=Oh |first2=Sang-Hun |last3=Manos |first3=Paul S. |date=2005-10-01 |title=Phylogeny and Historical Biogeography of the Genus Platanus as Inferred From Nuclear and Chloroplast DNA |url=http://www.ingentaselect.com/rpsv/cgi-bin/cgi?ini=xref&body=linker&reqdoi=10.1600/036364405775097851 |journal=Systematic Botany |language=en |volume=30 |issue=4 |pages=786–799 |doi=10.1600/036364405775097851|s2cid=86021109 |url-access=subscription }}</ref> and [[nuclear gene]]<ref name="Grimm-2010" /><ref name="De Castro-2013" /><ref name="Feng-2005" /><ref name="Grimm-2007">{{Cite journal |last1=Grimm |first1=Guido W. |last2=Denk |first2=Thomas |date=2007-12-18 |title=ITS Evolution in Platanus (Platanaceae): Homoeologues, Pseudogenes and Ancient Hybridization |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcm305 |journal=Annals of Botany |volume=101 |issue=3 |pages=403–419 |doi=10.1093/aob/mcm305 |issn=1095-8290 |pmc=2701810 |pmid=18089582}}</ref> sequences suggests that the ''P. racemosa'' [[species complex]] in [[Western North America]] (including ''[[Platanus racemosa|P. racemosa]], [[Platanus gentryi|P. gentryi]], [[Platanus wrightii|P. wrightii]]'') is more closely related to the [[Eurasian]] ''P. orientalis'' than it is to the other North American species (''[[Platanus mexicana|P. mexicana]]'' [[sensu lato]], including up to four species: ''P. chiapaensis, P. lindeniana, P. [×] mexicana'' [[sensu stricto]], ''P. oaxacana; [[Platanus occidentalis|P. occidentalis]]'' [[Platanus occidentalis|s.l.]] with two [sub]species: ''P. occidentalis, P. palmeri''; ''[[Platanus rzedowskii|P. rzedowskii]]'').<ref name="Nixon-2003" /><ref name="Grimm-2010" /><ref name="De Castro-2013" /> The two groups form [[Genetics|genetically]] and [[Morphology (biology)|morphologically]] distinct [[Lineage (evolution)|evolutionary lineages]] ([[sister clades]]), informally called the “ANA clade” (Atlantic North American lineage) and “PNA-E clade” (Pacific North American-European lineage).<ref name="Grimm-2010" /> Both lineages have been affected by [[reticulate evolution]]ary processes in the past (ancient or [[recent]] [[Hybridization (biology)|hybridization]] and [[introgression]]):<ref name="Grimm-2010" /><ref name="De Castro-2013" /><ref name="Grimm-2007" />
* ''Platanus palmeri'' (= ''P. occidentalis'' [[Variety (botany)|var.]] ''palmeri'') – forming the southwesternmost populations of ''P. occidentalis'' s.l.<ref name="Grimm-2010" /><ref name="De Castro-2013" /> – carries nuclear [[intron]] sequences (second intron of the [[Leafy|Leafy gene]]) of PNA-E origin.<ref name="Grimm-2010" /> It lacks the plastid haplotype specific for the northeastern populations (''P. occidentalis'' s.str.)<ref name="De Castro-2013" />
* The [[internal transcribed spacer]]s of the nuclear-encoded [[Ribosomal DNA|rRNA genes]] of ''P. occidentalis'' s.l. and ''P. rzedowskii'' include ANA-specific variants with functional [[5.8S ribosomal RNA|5.8S rDNA]] as well as PNA-E-specific variants showing signs of [[Pseudogene|pseudogeny]].<ref name="Grimm-2007" /> The latter are shared with ''P. gentryi'', the PNA-E species closest to the ANA clade area and the northern/ interior populations of ''P. mexicana'' s.l. This indicates that already the [[common ancestor]] of ''P. rzedowskii'' and ''P. occidentalis'' s.l. had been in contact with a member of the PNA-E clade.
* Likewise, ''[[Platanus rzedowskii|P. rzedowskii]]'' from [[Nuevo León]] is a genetic mosaic, and may have originated from earlier hybridization within the ANA clade, between southernmost ''P. occidentalis'' s.l. (''P. palmeri'') and ''P. mexicana'' s.l., or their ancestors.<ref name="Grimm-2010" /> Today the ranges of ''P. occidentalis'' s.l. and ''P. mexicana'' s.l. are mutually exclusive. ''Platanus rzedowskii'' is geographically and morphologically intermediate between ''P. occidentalis'' s.l. and ''P. mexicana'' s.l.<ref name="Nixon-2003" /><ref name="De Castro-2013" />
* Morphological reinvestigation including the originally collected material revealed that the interior populations of ''P. mexicana'' (northern [[Querétaro]] and northern [[Hidalgo (state)|Hidalgo]]; ''P. mexicana'' var. ''interior'' according Nixon & Poole) mark the [[hybrid zone]] between ''P. rzedowskii'' and ''P. mexicana'' s.l. and the (former) contact zone to the species of the PNA-E clade (''P. gentryi'', ''P. wrightii''). Since the [[holotype]] of ''P. mexicana'' is from this zone and shows the characteristical intermediate morphology, ''P. mexicana'' s.str. would represent a [[nothospecies]]: ''P. × mexicana''.<ref name="Denk-2012">{{Cite journal |last1=Denk |first1=Thomas |last2=Grimm |first2=Guido W. |last3=Röseler |first3=Anne-Katrin |year=2012 |title=When field botany meets history: taxonomy of Platanus mexicana in Mexico |url=https://bioone.org/journals/willdenowia/volume-42/issue-1/wi.42.42113/When-field-botany-meets-history--taxonomy-of-Platanus-mexicana/10.3372/wi.42.42113.full |journal=Willdenowia |volume=42 |issue=1 |pages=99–115 |doi=10.3372/wi.42.42113 |s2cid=84804295 |issn=0511-9618}}</ref> The remaining populations of ''P. mexicana'' s.l., ''P. lindeniana'', show no sign of introgression from either ''P. rzedowskii, P. occidentalis-palmeri'' or the Western North American species (''P. racemosa'' species aggregate),<ref name="Grimm-2010" /><ref name="De Castro-2013" /> with the exception of one [[Zygosity|heterozygotic]] ''P. oaxacana'' population from northcentral [[Oaxaca]].<ref name="De Castro-2013" />
[[File:PlatanusNuclearEvolution.png|thumb|Sorting and evolutionary history of three different [[Noncoding strand|noncoding]] nuclear [[Locus (genetics)|loci]] contributing to the [[gene pool]] of modern-day species of ''Platanus'' (after<ref name="Grimm-2010" />)]]

The genus ''Platanus'' exemplarily illustrates the concept of a [[Coral of life|Coral of Life]], a species network. Its modern-day species are not only the product of evolutionary [[Dichotomy|dichotomies]] ([[cladogenesis]]), the splitting of an ancestral lineage into two ([[Tree of life (biology)|Tree of Life]] metaphor) but also evolutionary [[Anastomosis|anastomoses]]: hybridization and introgression.

The fossil record of leaves and fruit identifiable to ''Platanus'' begins in the [[Paleocene]].<ref name="MissisippiMiocene">{{cite journal |author1=McNair, D.M. |author2=D.Z. Stults |author3=B. Axsmith |author4=M.H. Alford |author5=J.E. Starnes |title=Preliminary investigation of a diverse megafossil floral assemblage from the middle Miocene of southern Mississippi, USA |journal=[[Palaeontologia Electronica]] |date=2019 |volume=22 |issue=2 |doi=10.26879/906 |url=https://palaeo-electronica.org/content/pdfs/906.pdf|doi-access=free }}</ref> Despite the geographic separation between North America and Old World, species from these continents will cross readily resulting in fertile [[Hybrid (biology)|hybrid]]s such as the London plane, which is an anthropogenic hybrid ([[cultivar]]) between the North American ''P. occidentalis'' [[sensu stricto]] (ANA clade) and the [[Mediterranean Basin|Mediterranean]] ''P. orientalis'' (PNA-E clade). Widely used as a park tree across the Northern Hemisphere, it frequently [[backcrossing|backcrosses]] with both its parents.<gallery widths="200" heights="200" mode="packed">
File:Skhtorashen176.jpg|The {{age|-20}}-year-old ''Platanus orientalis'' tree [[Tnjri]] in [[Nagorno-Karabakh]].
File:Platanus dissecta USNM P38122 img3.jpg|Miocene ''[[Platanus dissecta]]'' leaf, [[Latah Formation]]
</gallery>

==Species==
The following are named species of ''Platanus''; not all are accepted by all authorities:

{| class="wikitable"
! Botanical name !! Common names !! Distribution and taxonomic notes !! Flowerheads !! Systematics
|-
| ''[[Platanus chiapensis]]'' [[Paul Carpenter Standley|Standl.]] [https://www.ipni.org/n/201683-2 IPNI] 
|| Chiapas plane 
|| [[Mexico]] ([[Chiapas]]); part of ''P. mexicana'' species aggregate, probably a junior [[Synonym (taxonomy)|synonym]] of ''P. lindeniana''<ref name="Grimm-2010" /><ref name="De Castro-2013" /> 
|| 2–7<ref name="Denk-2012" /> 
|| Subgenus ''Platanus'', ANA clade
|-
| ''[[Platanus gentryi]]'' [https://www.ipni.org/a/24117-1 Nixon] & [https://www.ipni.org/a/20000148-1 J.M.Poole] [https://www.ipni.org/n/60429575-2 IPNI] 
|| Gentry's plane 
|| Mexico ([[tripoint]] area of [[Chihuahua (state)|Chihuahua]], [[Sinaloa]] and [[Sonora]]); part of the ''P. racemosa'' species aggregate
|| ? 
|| Subgenus ''Platanus'', PNA-E clade
|-
| ''[[Platanus kerrii]]'' [[Gagnep.]] 
|| Kerr's plane 
|| [[Laos]], [[Vietnam]] 
|| 10–12 
|| Subgenus ''Castaneophyllum'' [[:fr:Jean-François Leroy (botaniste)|J.-F.Leroy]]
|-
| ''[[Platanus mexicana]]'' [https://www.ipni.org/a/12691-1 Moric.] sensu lato 
|| Mexican sycamore, Mexican plane 
|| Mexico, [[Guatemala]]; in a strict sense synonymous with ''P. mexicana'' var. ''interior'' Nixon & Poole, restricted to [[Guanajuato]], [[Hidalgo (state)|Hidalgo]], [[Querétaro]] and [[San Luis Potosí]], and of hybrid origin<ref name="Denk-2012" />
|| s.l.: 1–7; s.str: 1–3<ref name="Denk-2012" /> 
|| Subgenus ''Platanus'', ANA clade
|-
| ''[[Platanus lindeniana]]'' [[Martin Martens|M.Martens]] & [[Henri Guillaume Galeotti|Galeotti]] [https://www.ipni.org/n/685862-1 IPNI]  
syn [[Platanus occidentalis var. lindeniana|''Platanus occidentalis'' var. ''lindeniana'']] 
|| Linden's plane tree, Linden's sycamore 
|| Mexico (Chiapas, Hidalgo, [[Puebla]], [[Oaxaca]], [[Veracruz]]), Guatemala; part of the ''P. mexicana'' species aggregate, synonymous with ''P. mexicana'' var. ''mexicana'' according Nixon & Poole<ref name="Nixon-2003" /><ref name="Denk-2012" /> 
|| (1–)2–5(–7)<ref name="Denk-2012" /> 
|| Subgenus ''Platanus'', ANA clade
|-
| ''[[Platanus oaxacana]]'' [[Paul Carpenter Standley|Standl.]] 
|| Oaxaca plane 
|| Mexico (Oaxaca); part of the ''P. mexicana'' species aggregate, junior synonym of ''P. lindeniana'' or distinct species<ref name="De Castro-2013" /><ref name="Denk-2012" /> 
|| 2–4<ref name="Denk-2012" /> 
|| Subgenus ''Platanus'', ANA clade
|-
| ''[[Platanus occidentalis]]'' [[Carl Linnaeus|L.]] 
|| American sycamore, American plane, buttonwood, occidental plane, water beech 
|| [[Canada]] ([[Ontario]]), United States 
|| 1–2 
|| Subgenus ''Platanus'', ANA clade
|-
| ''[[Platanus palmeri]]'' (Kuntze) ined. 
|| Plateau sycamore, Palmer's sycamore
|| Mexico ([[Coahuila]]) and United States ([[Texas]]) 
|| 1–2 
|| Subgenus ''Platanus'', ANA clade
|-
| ''[[Platanus rzedowskii]]'' Nixon & J.M.Poole [https://www.ipni.org/n/60429577-2 IPNI] 
|| Rzedowski's plane, Rzedowskii's sycamore 
|| Mexico ([[Nuevo León]], San Luis Potosí, [[Tamaulipas]]) 
|| 1–2 
|| Subgenus ''Platanus'', ANA clade
|-
| ''[[Platanus orientalis]]'' [[Carl Linnaeus|L.]] 
|| Oriental plane 
|| Eurasia 
|| 3–6 
|| Subgenus ''Platanus'', PNA-E clade
|-
| ''[[Platanus racemosa]]'' [[Thomas Nuttall|Nutt.]] 
|| California sycamore, western sycamore, aliso 
|| United States ([[California]]), Mexico ([[Baja California]]) 
|| 3–7 
|| Subgenus ''Platanus'', PNA-E clade
|-
| ''[[Platanus wrightii]]'' [[Sereno Watson|S.Watson]] 
|| Arizona sycamore 
|| United States ([[Arizona]], [[New Mexico]]), Mexico (Sonora, Chihuahua); part of the ''P. racemosa'' species aggregate
|| 2–4 
|| Subgenus ''Platanus'', PNA-E clade
|-
| ''[[Platanus × hispanica]]'' [[Philip Miller|Mill.]] ex [[Otto von Münchhausen|Muenchh.]]  
(syn. ''P. × acerifolia'' ([[William Aiton|Aiton]]) [[Willd.]], ''P. hybrida'' [[Brot.]]) 
|| London plane, hybrid plane 
|| Worldwide, cultivated origin; hybrid of ''P. occidentalis'' and ''P. orientalis'' 
|| 1–4(–6) 
|| Subgenus ''Platanus''; interlineage hybrid
|}



==Diseases==
{{Main|List of Platanus diseases}}
[[File:2020-06-04 16 44 33 An American sycamore with a severe infection of Sycamore anthracnose along Tranquility Lane in the Franklin Farm section of Oak Hill, Fairfax County, Virginia.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Severe infections of anthracnose can sometimes defoliate large swaths of American sycamore forest during mid and late spring, but trees generally recover by mid-summer]]

Planes are susceptible to plane anthracnose (''[[Apiognomonia veneta]]''), a [[fungus|fungal]] disease that can defoliate the trees in some years. The most severe infections are associated with cold, wet spring weather. ''P. occidentalis'' and the other American species are the most susceptible, with ''P. orientalis'' the most resistant. The hybrid London plane is intermediate in resistance.

''[[Ceratocystis platani]]'', a [[wilt disease]], has become a significant problem in recent years in much of Europe.{{sfn|Pathology note 7|2008}} The North American species are mostly resistant to the disease, with which they probably coevolved, while the Old World species are highly sensitive.

Other diseases such as [[powdery mildew]] occur frequently, but are of lesser importance.

''Platanus'' species are used as food plants by the [[larva]]e of some [[Lepidoptera]] species including ''[[Phyllonorycter platani]]'' and [[Setaceous Hebrew Character]].

In the 21st century a disease, commonly known as Massaria disease, has attacked plane trees across Europe. It is caused by the fungus ''[[Splanchnonema platani]]'', and causes large lesions on the upper sides of branches.<ref name="fc">{{cite web |url=http://www.forestry.gov.uk/fr/massaria |title=Massaria disease |publisher=Forestry Commission |access-date=November 7, 2012}}</ref><ref name="tt">{{cite web |url=http://www.treetree.co.uk/massaria-disease-of-planes.html |title=Massaria disease of plane trees |publisher=Treetree |access-date=November 7, 2012}}</ref>

==Effects on humans==

There have been cases of "platanus cough", symptoms of shortness of breath, coughing, and irritated eyes, which may affect several people in a place, and have led to initial suspicion of an attack with an irritant gas. After one such mass attack which affected schoolchildren in classrooms with open windows densely surrounded by plane trees, children had to be admitted to hospital, where they were treated and recovered without ill effects. It was found that the symptoms were due to the fine star-shaped [[trichome]]s (hairs) on all parts of platanus trees, which are broken off by strong wind after a prolonged dry period. The dust created causes direct irritation and scratchiness in the eyes, throat, and nose, but not the runny nose and itching eyes and nose caused by an [[allergy]]. The school incident took place after a dry period, with a fairly high temperature of {{convert|29|C}}, and wind blowing at {{cvt|50|km/h}}.<ref name=eppinger>{{cite web | title=What Are Platanus Cough and Thunderstorm Asthma? |first=Ute|last=Eppinger|publisher=Medscape | date=15 April 2024 | url=https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/what-are-platanus-cough-and-thunderstorm-asthma-2024a100073q}}</ref>

Protection against platanus cough is provided by avoiding contact and wearing protective glasses and masks under weather conditions promoting release of trichomes. When cleaning in an urban environment, sweeping up fallen leaves and branches can release hairs; cleaning by suction is preferred. It is not recommended that trees in cities be felled, as they are beneficial; in particular the platanus trichomes act as biofilters for air pollutants. Where there are urban concentrations presenting a risk, seasonal spraying of trees with a solution of apple pectin can prevent the star hair from breaking off.<ref name=eppinger/>

==Uses==

The principal use of these trees is as ornamental trees, especially in urban areas and by roadsides. The [[London plane]] is particularly popular for this purpose. The [[American plane]] is cultivated sometimes for timber and investigations have been made into its use as a [[biomass]] crop. The [[oriental plane]] is widely used as an ornamental tree, and also has a number of minor medicinal uses.

==Cultural history==
[[File:Plane Tree bark at Tayac, Dordogne.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Patterns in nature|Patterned]] bark of [[London plane]]]]

Most significant aspects of cultural history apply to ''[[Platanus orientalis#Cultural history|Platanus orientalis]]'' in the Old World. The tree is an important part of the literary scenery of Plato's dialogue ''[[Phaedrus (dialogue)|Phaedrus]]''. Because of [[Plato]], the tree also played an important role in the scenery of Cicero's ''[[De Oratore]]''. The trees also provided the shade under which [[Aristotle]] and Plato's famed philosophical schools were held.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Walking, talking and showing off – a history of Roman gardens |url=https://theconversation.com/walking-talking-and-showing-off-a-history-of-roman-gardens-138902 |last=Marzano|first=Annalisa|date=May 20, 2020|website=[[The Conversation (website)|The Conversation]]}}</ref> [[Handel]]'s opera ''[[Serse]]'' has a famous [[aria]], "[[Ombra mai fu]]", which the title character sings in praise of his favorite plane tree.

The plane tree has been a frequent motif featured in [[Classical Chinese poetry]] as an embodiment of sorrowful sentiments due to its autumnal shedding of leaves.{{Citation needed|date=April 2024}}

The legendary [[Dry Tree]] first recorded by [[Marco Polo]] was possibly a platanus. According to the legend, it marked the site of the battle between [[Alexander the Great]] and [[Darius III]].{{cn | date=June 2025}}

The [[German World War II camouflage patterns|German camouflage pattern]] ''Platanenmuster'' ("plane tree pattern"), designed in 1937–1942 by Johann Georg Otto Schick, was the first dotted camouflage pattern.<ref name=Beaver>{{cite book |first1=Michael D. |last1=Beaver |first2=J. F. |last2=Borsarello |title=Camouflage Uniforms of the Waffen-SS |publisher=Schiffer |date=1995 |isbn=978-1-84176-854-0 |page=202}}</ref>

==Footnotes==
<references />

==References==
;Books
* {{Cite book|first=Helmut |last=Naumann|chapter= Die Platane von Gortyna |title=Studien zu Ritual und Sozialgeschichte im Alten |trans-title=Orient / Studies on Ritual and Society in the Ancient Near East. Tartuer Symposien 1998–2004 |editor-first= Thomas Richard |editor-last=Kämmerer. |location=Berlin, de Gruyter |year=2007 |pages =207–226}}
* {{cite book|title=Sunset Western Garden Book|year= 1995|pages=606–607|ref={{sfnref|Sunset Western Garden Book|1995}} }}

;Journals
* {{cite journal|last1=Feng|first1= Y.|last2= Oh|first2= S.H.|last3= Manos|first3= P. S. |year=2005|title= Phylogeny and Historical Biogeography of the Genus Platanus as Inferred From Nuclear and Chloroplast DNA. |journal=Systematic Botany|volume= 30 |issue=4|pages= 786–799 |doi=10.1600/036364405775097851|s2cid= 86021109}}
* {{cite journal|last1=Nixon|first1= K. C. |last2=Poole|first2= J. M. |year=2003|title= Revision of the Mexican and Guatemalan species of Platanus (Platanaceae)|journal=Lundellia |volume=6|pages=103–137 |url=https://vivo.library.cornell.edu/entity?home=1&id=4558|doi= 10.25224/1097-993X-6.1.4 |doi-access=free}}{{dead link|date=February 2024|bot=medic}}

;Web
* {{citation | contribution-url = http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sycamore | contribution = Sycamore | title = Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary | access-date = 2009-08-04 |ref={{sfnref|Merriam Webster}} }}
* {{cite web| url=http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/pathology_note07.pdf/$FILE/pathology_note07.pdf|title=Pathology note 7|publisher=The Research Agency of the Forestry Commission|year=2008|ref={{sfnref|Pathology note 7|2008}} }}

==External links==
{{Wikispecies}}
{{Commons category|Platanus}}
* [http://www.aranya.co.uk/planes/text/botany.html Botany of plane trees]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050123130552/http://www.botgard.ucla.edu/html/MEMBGNewsletter/Volume5number2/Speakingtheplanetruth.html A short informal account ] concentrating on the North American species
* ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20031120230212/http://www.amjbot.org/cgi/content/full/86/11/1523 A developmental and evolutionary analysis of embryology in Platanus (Platanaceae), a basal eudicot]'', abstract of article by Sandra K. Floyd et al. in ''American Journal of Botany'', 1999;86:1523–1537.
* [http://www.monumentaltrees.com/en/photos-londonplane/ Photos, measurements, and location details of large plane trees worldwide]

{{Taxonbar|from=Q163025}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Platanus| ]]
[[Category:Platanaceae]]
[[Category:Eudicot genera]]