Sabal palmetto

Sabal palmetto

(Palmetto palm)

FAMILY

Arecaceae

Species

Sabal palmetto

Common name

Palmetto palm

Fruit colour; life form

Black; palm

Campus

Townsville

Description

Native to Florida, parts of the Caribbean basin and the Carolina Islands, this solitary palm is recognised by the curved fan-shaped leaves to 2 m long and the presence of the old leaf bases appearing criss-crossed on the trunk. The fruits are produced on large inflorescences and the fruit are round and black, to 1.2 cm diameter.