Paurotis palm

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iParoutis palm

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Liliopsida
Order:	Arecales
Family:	Arecaceae
Genus:	Acoelorraphe
Species:	A. wrightii

Binomial name

Acoelorraphe wrightii
(Griseb. & H.L.Wendl.) H.L.Wendl. ex Becc.

The Paurotis palm, also known as the Everglade palm, Madiera palm and Silver saw palmetto (Acoelorraphe wrightii), is the sole species in the genus Acoelorraphe. The spelling of the genus name, Acoelorraphe or Acoelorrhaphe, is disputed. The Flora of North America and USDA use the former, while the second is used by GRIN and IPNI.

It is native to Central America, southeastern Mexico, the West Indies, the Bahamas, and extreme southern Florida. It is a small to moderately tall palm that grows in clusters to 5-7 m, rarely 9 m tall, with slender stems less than 15 cm diameter. The leaves are palmate (fan-shaped), with segments joined to each other for about half of their length, and are up to 1 m (3 feet) wide. The leaves are light-green above, and silver underneath. The stalk of the leaf is 1 m (3 feet) long or longer, and has orange, curved, sharp teeth along the edges. The flowers are minute, inconspicuous and greenish, with 6 stamens. The trunk is covered with fibrous matting. The fruit is pea-sized, starting orange and turning to black at maturity.

[edit] Cultivation and uses

The Paurotis palm was formerly plentiful in Florida, but many plants were taken for the nursery trade. The palm is now protected in the wild by Florida law. Trees propagated from seed or by sawing apart the base of a cluster are available in nurseries. It is hardy in most of the peninsula, and salt-tolerant.