Serenoa repens
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Serenoa repens habit |
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Serenoa repens blue-green form |
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Serenoa repens with stem growing upright |
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Serenoa repens with creeping stem after a recent fire |
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Serenoa repens "saw" teeth on petiole |
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Serenoa repens adaxial hastula. |
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Serenoa repens abaxial hastula |
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Serenoa repens abaxial hastula of blue-green leaf |
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Serenoa repens blue-green leaf form |
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Serenoa repens leaf segments with bifid tips |
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Serenoa repens inflorescence |
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Serenoa repens fruit. Photograph courtesy of Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, Guide to Palms http://palmguide.org/index.php |
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Serenoa repens seeds. Photograph courtesy of Mariana P. Beckman, DPI |
Common name
saw palmetto
Description
Stems: Clumping, underground or creeping stems (0.5-2 m tall) (rarely growing upright 6.0-7.5 m tall). Leaves: 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 persistent, with 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)
sheaths disintegrating over time into reddish-brown fibers. Petioles armed with sharp teeth along the margins, especially toward the base. Hastulahastula:
a flange or collar-like flap of tissue extending from the petiole where a palmate leaf blade joins it; often seen on the upper (adaxial) surface, but may also be found on the lower (abaxial) surface in some palms
papery; adaxialadaxial:
toward the axis or the side of an organ facing toward the axis (<strong>ad </strong>as in <strong>ad</strong>here); for example, the upper surface of a leaf blade or petiole
hastula rounded to deltoid; abaxialabaxial:
away from or the side of an organ facing away from the axis (<strong>ab </strong>as in <strong>ab</strong>andon); for example, the lower surface of a leaf blade or petiole
, semicircular and often split into two lobes. 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>)
leaves, sometimes twisted with slight folds, as if 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 were too large for the petiole. 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)
segments are rigid, divided into segments with split tips. Leaves are usually yellowish green, but a blue-green form is occasionally found. Flowers and fruits: Inflorescences, branched, shorter than the leaves, with fragrant, bee-attracting, perfect, white to pale-yellow flowers. When ripe, fruits are ovoid, blue-black drupes to 2.5 cm long, with a rancid odor.
Diagnostic features
Field: Creeping or underground stem (occasionally curving upward, above ground); saw-toothed petiole; 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>)
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)
; ripe fruit colored blue-black, about 2.5 cm long.
May be confused with
Sabal species: Sabal sp. have smooth petioles (never armed) and costapalmatecostapalmate:
a fan-shaped leaf with a midrib (costa) extending into the blade, sometimes extending far enough into the blade to cause it to curve (e.g., <em>Sabal palmetto</em>)
leaves with an obvious "arrow" jutting into 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. Serenoa repens leaves are sometimes unarmed when young, but have a blunt hastulahastula:
a flange or collar-like flap of tissue extending from the petiole where a palmate leaf blade joins it; often seen on the upper (adaxial) surface, but may also be found on the lower (abaxial) surface in some palms
that extends less than 2 cm into 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.
Distribution
Native to the southeastern United States from Virginia to Mississippi
Additional comments
Stems sometimes grow upright.
Scientific name
Serenoa repens (W.Bartram) Small
Family
Arecaceae/Palmae
Synonyms
Brahea serrulata (Michx.)H.Wendl.
Chamaerops serrulata Michx.
Corypha repens W.Bartram
Sabal serrulata (Michx.)Nutt. ex Schult. & Schult.f.
