Acoelorrhaphe wrightii (Griseb. & H.Wendl.) H.Wendl. ex 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:  Acanthosabal caespitosa Prosch.; Copernicia wrightii Griseb. & H. Wendl.; Paurotis wrightii (Griseb. & H. Wendl.) Britton

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Everglades palm, paurotis palm, saw cabbage palm, silver saw palm

Spanish: tasiste

Habit:  tree

Description:  "Sex: Monoecious.  Trunk:  Several to many in clump; to 40 ft. tall, usually much less; slender; wrapped in handsome matting, which is red-brown when new, fading to gray.  Petiole: Long; to 3 ft.; slender; orange-colored saw teeth on edges.  Leaf: Palmate; 2-3 ft. or more in diameter; nearly round in outline; divided more than halfway.  Segments: Pointed, stiff, split at apex; light green above, silvery underneath.  Flowerstalk: From among leaves; slender, long and branched; projecting beyond leaves.  Fruit: Size of garden pea; handsome, orange, finally ripening to a shiny, jet black.  Seed: Smooth, round, hard.  Oddities: Young plants have simple, entire, pinnately veined leaves for several years before the palmate character leaves appear" (McCurrach, 1960; pp. 156-157).

Habitat/ecology:  "Plants...grow readily in moist low soil.  Plants will survive in dry land but grow slowly there" (McCurrach, 1960; pp. 156-157).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  "Southern Florida, West Indies, and Central America" (McCurrach, 1960; pp. 156-157).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 80)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Costa Rica (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Honduras (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Nicaragua (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
China China	Hong Kong	introduced cultivated	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 293) Ornamental.
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Campeche, Chiapas, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, Veracruz, Yucatan
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 9) Cultivated only
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Colombia	native	Palmweb (2013)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Acoelorrhaphe wrightii, please let us know.