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Sabal minor (Jacq.) Pers.

Dwarf palmetto (en)

Species

Angiosperms > Arecales > Arecaceae > Sabal

Characteristics

Stems usually subterranean. Leaves 4--10, dark green, weakly costapalmate, little if at all curved, not bearing fibers between segments; hastula obtuse, 0.8--4.7 cm; segments not filiferous, 34--—84 ´ 1.4--3.7 cm; apices weakly if at all bifid2-cleft. Inflorescences sparsely branched with 2 orders of branching (not counting main inflorescence axis), erect, much longer than leaves. Flowers 3.5--5.2 mm. Fruits brownish black, spheroid, length 6.2--8.5 mm, diam. 6.4--9.7 mm; pericarp thin. Seeds 3.5--5.1 mm, diam. 4.4--6.9 mm diam. 2n = 36.
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A small palm. The trunk is underground. Some plants can have a trunk 1-2 m high. The trunk can be 25-30 cm across. The leaf stalk extends into the blade. The leaf stalk is strong and the leaves are held upright. The leaf blade may be split into 2 halves. The leaves are blue green. The flowering bunch is also upright but arches over and extends beyond the leaves. The flowers are small and white and have a scent. The fruit are about 1 cm across. They are black when ripe.
Life form perennial
Growth form tree
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention evergreen
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination entomogamy
Spread -
Mature width (meter) 2.0
Mature height (meter) 2.85 - 3.0
Root system rhizome
Rooting depth (meter) 0.5
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Fruit color
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway c3

Environment

It will grow from the tropics to the temperate zones. It can stand very low temperatures. It grows in swamps in the Southern USA. It grows in undergrowth in evergreen and deciduous forests at low elevations. It suits hardiness zones 8-11.
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An understorey shrub of broad-leaved, mainly deciduous woodlands in low-lying river terrace areas and other sites where water at the roots is readily available.
An understorey shrub of broad-leaved, mainly deciduous woodlands in low-lying river terrace areas and other sites where water at the roots is readily available.
Light 3-8
Soil humidity 4-8
Soil texture 2-5
Soil acidity 3-7
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 8-10

Usage

The starch of the trunk can be used for sago. The pulp of the fruit is eaten raw or made into syrup. It is also dried and made into bread. The terminal bud or cabbage is eaten raw or cooked.
Uses environmental use fiber medicinal wood
Edible fruits leaves roots saps stems
Therapeutic use Eye Medicine (root), Hypotensive (root), Kidney Aid (root), Stimulant (root)
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Plants can be grown from seeds.
Mode seedlings
Germination duration (days) -
Germination temperacture (C°) -
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment soaking
Minimum temperature (C°) -7
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Habit

Sabal minor habit picture by Maarten Vanhove (cc-by-sa)
Sabal minor habit picture by Eli Small (cc-by-sa)
Sabal minor habit picture by Eli Small (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Sabal minor leaf picture by Maarten Vanhove (cc-by-sa)
Sabal minor leaf picture by RIVER STONE (cc-by-sa)
Sabal minor leaf picture by kathryn (cc-by-sa)

Flower

Sabal minor flower picture by Shea EmerD (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Sabal minor fruit picture by kora leach (cc-by-sa)

Distribution

Sabal minor world distribution map, present in Åland Islands, Brazil, Nicaragua, Pakistan, and United States of America

Conservation status

Sabal minor threat status: Least Concern

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:30204097-2
WFO ID wfo-0000299296
COL ID 78YNN
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID 630586
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR) Link

Synonyms

Sabal glabra Sabal speciosa Sabal louisiana Rhapis acaulis Rhapis arundinacea Sabal minima Sabal pumila Brahea minima Chamaerops acaulis Chamaerops glabra Chamaerops louisiana Corypha minor Corypha pumila Chamaerops arundinacea Chamaerops sabaloides Sabal serrulata var. minima Sabal adiantina Sabal floribunda Sabal deeringiana Sabal adansonii var. major Sabal minor
WorldFloraDB 2024