Tree to 30 m but often much smaller, suckering. Twigs sometimes with corky flanges. Leaves elliptic to obovate, to 9 x 4 cm, acute to gradually acuminate, ±asymmetrical, serrate to crenate-serrate. Samara obovate, to 2 cm; seed above middle of samara. Fl. 3-4. Mixed deciduous forest, thickets by rivers and streams, open slopes, often in xerothermic communities, s.1.-1300 m.

1. Twigs glabrous or sparsely pubescent; leaves ± glabrous and often glandular beneath .....................................subsp. minor
2. Twigs densely white-pubescent; leaves softly pubescent beneath, without glands ...........................................subsp. canescens

Sardinia, Italy, Sicily, Balkans, Crete, Cyrenaica, W. Syria, Cyprus. E. Medit. element.