Sabal maritima

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Bull Thatch Palm

Sabal (SAH-bahl)
maritima (mahr-ih-TEE-mah)
Sabal-maritima99.jpg
Scientific Classification
Genus: Sabal (SAH-bahl)
Species:
maritima (mahr-ih-TEE-mah)
Synonyms
Sabal jamaicensis (1908)
Native Continent
America
America.gif
Morphology
Habit: Solitary
Leaf type: Palmate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
Bull Thatch Palm

Habitat and Distribution

Sabal maritima is endemic to Cuba, and Jamaica.

Fallbrook, California. "15 year old plant living in southern California. Photo by Geoff Stein.

Description

Sabal maritima, is a fan palm with a solitary, stout trunk, which grows up to 15 metres (49 ft.) tall, and 25–40 centimetres (10–16 in.) in diameter. Crown holds about 25 costapalmate leaves, with recurving leaf tips, each with 70–110 leaflets. The inflorescences, which are branched, and as long as the leaves, they bear pear-shaped to globose, black fruit. The fruit are 0.8–1.4 centimetres (0.3–0.6 in.) in diameter. Editing by edric.

Culture

Full sun, moderate water, well drained position. Hardiness USDA zones, 9A-11.

Comments and Curiosities

This is a tillering palm, it exhibits saxophone style root growth (it has a heel), keep top third of heel above soil elevation!

Andrew Henderson and colleagues noted that Sabal maritima, S. causiarum and S. domingensis form a species complex that may constitute a single species.

Diagnostic features: "The two species are similar, but S. maritima has the young petioles densely covered with light brown scales (which tend to fall off as the leaf ages, so look for this on the youngest leaves in the crown). An even easier distinguishing feature is the density of flowers on the rachillae. In S. martima, the flowers are really crowded on the rachillae. They even touch one another. Not so in S. causiarum, where the flowers are not crowded at all." (Dr. Scott Zona)

External Links

References

Phonetic spelling of Latin names by edric.

Special thanks to Geoff Stein, (Palmbob) for his hundreds of photos.

Special thanks to Palmweb.org, Dr. John Dransfield, Dr. Bill Baker & team, for their volumes of information and photos.

Glossary of Palm Terms; Based on the glossary in Dransfield, J., N.W. Uhl, C.B. Asmussen-Lange, W.J. Baker, M.M. Harley & C.E. Lewis. 2008. Genera Palmarum - Evolution and Classification of the Palms. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. All images copyright of the artists and photographers (see images for credits).
Many Special Thanks to Ed Vaile for his long hours of tireless editing and numerous contributions.

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