Paurotis Palm
Acoelorrhaphe wrightii
Plant Family: Palmae
Leaves: Palmate, green on both top and bottom, to 60 cm, the very long petioles have sharp yellow teeth.
Bark: Brown, heavily matted with old leaf bases.
Flowers: Yellow, held on stalks that are about 1 m long; appearing spring to summer.
Fruits: Round, orange, turning black when ripe, to 1 cm in diameter; mostly fall to winter.
Habitat: Hammock edges of the Everglades, also in landscaping.
Growth Form: A fairly small tree that always grows in clumps, with several narrow trunks presenting from the same rootstock.
Key Features: The palmate leaves with very long petioles, matted trunk, and clumping growth form, make this one of the easier palms to identify.
Comments: Paurotis Palm is considered threatened in the wild but it is widely planted as an ornamental.
