Coccothrinax barbadensis (Lodd. ex Mart.) Becc., Arecaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  Evaluate, score: 2 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Thrinax barbadensis Lodd. ex Mart.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: thatch palm

Habit:  tree

Description:  "Solitary, 16-50 (-70) foot tall; trunk 4-8 inches in diameter, gray, smooth.  Fronds 12-15; sheath fibers woven like burlap; peti biconvex in cross section (i.e. not grooved on top), densely scaly inside sheath, becoming smooth above, ca 3.5 feet long, hatula ± triangular, 0.8 x 0.8-1.2 inches, surrounded by yellow halo in adjacent blade; blades 3.3+ feet wide, upper side glossy green, underside usually silvery, with 50-70 segments, these 0.8-1.8 inches at widest point where joined, ca 24-35 inches long, tips often 2-lobed.  Inflorescence 10-18 inches long, with 4-10 glabrous primary branches.  Flowers stalked, pale yellow, fragrant; stamens 9-12.  Fruit flattened-globose, 0.28-0.47 inches in diameter, pedicels 0.04-0.2 inches long"  (Staples & Herbst, 2005; p. 620).

Habitat/ecology:  "Silver palm grows best in tropical regions and needs a sunny position in well-drained soil. A slow grower in its native state, silver palm responds very well to regular applications of palm fertilizer. Silver palm grows well in limestone and sandy soils. Silver palms thrive in full sun. Small silver palms make good indoor plants and require bright, though indirect light.  Silver palms do best on well drained, alkaline soils with frequent watering.  USDA Zones 9 - 12. Mature and established silver palms can tolerate temperatures down to 26°F (-3.3°C) Juvenile silver palms need protection during freezing temperatures"  (Floridata).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  "Caribbean area from Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands through the small islands of the Lesser Antilles to Trinidad and Tobago and to Margarita Island off the coast of Venezuela" (Staples & Herbst, 2005; p. 620).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced cultivated	Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. (2005) (p. 620)

Additional information:
Information from Floridata.

Additional online information about Coccothrinax barbadensis is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Information about Coccothrinax barbadensis as a weed (worldwide references) may be available from the Global Compendium of Weeds (GCW).

Taxonomic information about Coccothrinax barbadensis may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. 2005. A tropical garden flora: plants cultivated in the Hawaiian Islands and other tropical places. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 908 pp.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2011. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.