When Auburn’s Lucile Shaw picked up the big maple leaf that had fallen from her front-yard tree four years ago, little did she know it was one of the largest of its kind anywhere.

The Guinness World Records say so.

Shaw’s prized leaf measured just over 19 inches wide, unusually large for a region that produces maple leafs around 12 to 13 inches in width.

“The size is very unusual,” said Shaw, 79, who has lived in her West Hill home since 1966. “I guess, it’s one more thing to do on my bucket list.”

Shaw encased the leaf for display and preservation.

A professional botanist appraised the leaf and Shaw’s family submitted the details to Guinness officials, who are in the process of certifying it as one of the largest in the world, said Jesse Ferguson, Shaw’s grandson. Once it is official, the leaf will be added to Guinness’ online data base.

For the record, according to www.guinnessworldrecords.com, the largest maple leaf measured 20.86 inches wide. It belongs to Vikas Tanwar and family, who discovered it in Richmond, British Columbia, nearly five years ago.