| Copernicia | |
|---|---|
| Copernicia alba | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Monocots |
| (unranked): | Commelinids |
| Order: | Arecales |
| Family: | Arecaceae |
| Subfamily: | Coryphoideae |
| Tribe: | Corypheae |
| Genus: | Copernicia Mart. |
| Species | |
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See text |
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Copernicia is a genus of 24 species of palms, native to South America and the Caribbean. They are fan palms (Arecaceae tribe Corypheae), with the leaves with a bare petiole terminating in a rounded fan of numerous leaflets. The species are small to medium-sized trees growing to 5-30 m tall, typically occurring close to streams and rivers in savanna habitats.
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The genus is named after the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus.
In some of the species, the leaves are coated with a thin layer of wax, known as carnauba wax.