diff --git a/geopandas/plotting.py b/geopandas/plotting.py
index 3cbe274..116f5df 100644
--- a/geopandas/plotting.py
+++ b/geopandas/plotting.py
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ def gencolor(N, colormap='Set1'):
         yield colors[i % n_colors]
 
 
-def plot_series(s, colormap='Set1', axes=None, linewidth=1.0, figsize=None, **color_kwds):
+def plot_series(s, colormap='Set1', ax=None, linewidth=1.0, figsize=None, **color_kwds):
     """ Plot a GeoSeries
 
         Generate a plot of a GeoSeries geometry with matplotlib.
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ def plot_series(s, colormap='Set1', axes=None, linewidth=1.0, figsize=None, **co
 
                 Accent, Dark2, Paired, Pastel1, Pastel2, Set1, Set2, Set3
 
-        axes : matplotlib.pyplot.Artist (default None)
+        ax : matplotlib.pyplot.Artist (default None)
             axes on which to draw the plot
 
         linewidth : float (default 1.0)
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ def plot_series(s, colormap='Set1', axes=None, linewidth=1.0, figsize=None, **co
 
         figsize : pair of floats (default None)
             Size of the resulting matplotlib.figure.Figure. If the argument
-            axes is given explicitly, figsize is ignored.
+            ax is given explicitly, figsize is ignored.
 
         **color_kwds : dict
             Color options to be passed on to plot_polygon
@@ -114,11 +114,9 @@ def plot_series(s, colormap='Set1', axes=None, linewidth=1.0, figsize=None, **co
         matplotlib axes instance
     """
     import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
-    if axes is None:
+    if ax is None:
         fig, ax = plt.subplots(figsize=figsize)
         ax.set_aspect('equal')
-    else:
-        ax = axes
     color = gencolor(len(s), colormap=colormap)
     for geom in s:
         if geom.type == 'Polygon' or geom.type == 'MultiPolygon':
@@ -132,7 +130,7 @@ def plot_series(s, colormap='Set1', axes=None, linewidth=1.0, figsize=None, **co
 
 
 def plot_dataframe(s, column=None, colormap=None, linewidth=1.0,
-                   categorical=False, legend=False, axes=None,
+                   categorical=False, legend=False, ax=None,
                    scheme=None, k=5, vmin=None, vmax=None, figsize=None,
                    **color_kwds
                    ):
@@ -169,7 +167,7 @@ def plot_dataframe(s, column=None, colormap=None, linewidth=1.0,
             Plot a legend (Experimental; currently for categorical
             plots only)
 
-        axes : matplotlib.pyplot.Artist (default None)
+        ax : matplotlib.pyplot.Artist (default None)
             axes on which to draw the plot
 
         scheme : pysal.esda.mapclassify.Map_Classifier
@@ -212,7 +210,7 @@ def plot_dataframe(s, column=None, colormap=None, linewidth=1.0,
     from matplotlib import cm
 
     if column is None:
-        return plot_series(s.geometry, colormap=colormap, axes=axes, linewidth=linewidth, figsize=figsize, **color_kwds)
+        return plot_series(s.geometry, colormap=colormap, ax=ax, linewidth=linewidth, figsize=figsize, **color_kwds)
     else:
         if s[column].dtype is np.dtype('O'):
             categorical = True
@@ -234,11 +232,9 @@ def plot_dataframe(s, column=None, colormap=None, linewidth=1.0,
             categories = ['{0:.2f} - {1:.2f}'.format(binedges[i], binedges[i+1])
                           for i in range(len(binedges)-1)]
         cmap = norm_cmap(values, colormap, Normalize, cm, vmin=vmin, vmax=vmax)
-        if axes is None:
+        if ax is None:
             fig, ax = plt.subplots(figsize=figsize)
             ax.set_aspect('equal')
-        else:
-            ax = axes
         for geom, value in zip(s.geometry, values):
             if geom.type == 'Polygon' or geom.type == 'MultiPolygon':
                 plot_multipolygon(ax, geom, facecolor=cmap.to_rgba(value), linewidth=linewidth, **color_kwds)