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Coccothrinax argentata


Coccothrinax argentata habit. Photograph courtesy of Scott Zona.

Coccothrinax argentata habit. Photograph courtesy of Scott Zona.
Coccothrinax argentata young palm. Photograph courtesy of Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, Guide to Palms http://palmguide.org/index.php

Coccothrinax argentata young palm. Photograph courtesy of Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, Guide to Palms http://palmguide.org/index.php
Coccothrinax argentata canopy

Coccothrinax argentata canopy
Coccothrinax argentata petioles (not split). Photograph courtesy of Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, Guide to Palms http://palmguide.org/index.php

Coccothrinax argentata petioles (not split). Photograph courtesy of Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, Guide to Palms http://palmguide.org/index.php
Coccothrinax argentata adaxial hastula. Photograph courtesy of Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, Guide to Palms http://palmguide.org/index.php

Coccothrinax argentata adaxial hastula. Photograph courtesy of Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, Guide to Palms http://palmguide.org/index.php
Coccothrinax argentata leaflet undersurface with mm scale

Coccothrinax argentata leaflet undersurface with mm scale
Coccothrinax argentata seeds. Photograph courtesy of Mariana P. Beckman, DPI

Coccothrinax argentata seeds. Photograph courtesy of Mariana P. Beckman, DPI

Common name

silver palm, Florida silver palm

Description

Stems: Solitary, erect stems, to 10 m tall (usually shorter in cultivation), up to 20 cm in diameter, with faint rings from leafleaf:
in palms -- the leaf blade (which is usually divided into leaflets or leaf segments), the petiole (or leaf stalk) and the sheath (which forms the attachment of the leaf to the stem)
scars. Stems of younger individuals are covered with matted fibers from old leafleaf:
in palms -- the leaf blade (which is usually divided into leaflets or leaf segments), the petiole (or leaf stalk) and the sheath (which forms the attachment of the leaf to the stem)
bases, as are the upper reaches of older palms. Leaves: Palmatepalmate:
like the palm of a hand; fan palms have palmate leaves that are usually divided into leaf segments arising from a central point, although a fan palm may have entire leaves (e.g., <em>Licuala grandis</em>)
, induplicateinduplicate:
Most palm leaflets or leaf segments are obviously folded. If the folds create a V-shape, with the midrib lower than the margins (so that rain might fall "into a valley"), the folding is induplicate.
, with blade (about 1 m across) divided more than three-fourths its length by numerous, narrow segments that droop at the tips and flex from side to side. The upper leafleaf:
in palms -- the leaf blade (which is usually divided into leaflets or leaf segments), the petiole (or leaf stalk) and the sheath (which forms the attachment of the leaf to the stem)
surface is bright green; the undersurface, silvery; leaftips, bifidbifid:
deeply cleft into two usually equal parts or two-lobed from the apex; for example, palms with bifid leaves or leaflet tips (e.g., <em>Chamaedorea metallica</em> has bifid leaves)
; transverse veinlets are not obvious. The fibrous leafleaf:
in palms -- the leaf blade (which is usually divided into leaflets or leaf segments), the petiole (or leaf stalk) and the sheath (which forms the attachment of the leaf to the stem)
sheath has two layers, and the unarmed petiole is not split at the base. Flowers and fruits: Inflorescenceinflorescence:
the reproductive structure of a flowering plant, including palms, consisting of flowers and associated bracts
 is short compared with leaves, to 60 cm long, branched to two orders with up to 9 primary branches. The white flowers have both male and female parts. The fruits are spherical (5-13 mm in diameter) and purplish-black when ripe.

Diagnostic features

Field: Erect fan palms found on limestone soils, including pine rocklands and sandy dunes; leafleaf:
in palms -- the leaf blade (which is usually divided into leaflets or leaf segments), the petiole (or leaf stalk) and the sheath (which forms the attachment of the leaf to the stem)
sheath with finely woven fibers; unarmed margins on petiole that does not split at the base.

Lab: Silvery scales on the underside of the leafleaf:
in palms -- the leaf blade (which is usually divided into leaflets or leaf segments), the petiole (or leaf stalk) and the sheath (which forms the attachment of the leaf to the stem)
blade and no visible transverse veinlets.

May be confused with

Thrinax species, but the petioles of Thrinax split at the base while those of Coccothrinax do not.

Distribution

Native to Mexico, the Caribbean islands and Florida

Scientific name

Coccothrinax argentata (Jacq.) Bailey

Family

Arecaceae/Palmae

Synonyms

Palma argentata Jacq.

Thrinax garberi Chapm.

Coccothrinax garberi (Chapm.) Sarg.

Coccothrinax jucunda Sarg.

Thrinax altissima N.Taylor



    USDA Lucid