Plāne'-tree, n.

n. [Fr. plane, plaine, or platane, Pr. platani, Sp., Pg., & It. platano, Lat. platanus, Gr. πλατάνιος, fr. πλατύς, broad, on account of its broad leaves and spreading form. Cf. PLATANE.] (Bot.) A tree of the genus Platanus.

The oriental plane-tree is a native of Asia. It rises with a straight, smooth, branching stem to a great height, with palmated leaves, and long, pendulous peduncles, sustaining several heads of small, close-sitting flowers. The seeds are downy, and collected into round, rough, hard balls. The occidental plane-tree (Platanus occidentalis), which grows to a great height, is a native of North America, where it is called also button-wood and button-tree.