Acoelorrhaphe wrightii (Griseb. & H.Wendl.) H.Wendl. ex Becc., Arecaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Threat only at high elevations?  no

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

Other Latin names:  Paurotis wrightii (Griseb. & H. Wendl.) Britton

Common name(s): [more details]

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

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
Guatemala Guatemala	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Honduras Honduras	Honduras (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Nicaragua Nicaragua	Nicaragua (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)

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. (2007)

Additional information:  Additional online information about Acoelorrhaphe wrightii is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

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

References:

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce. 1987. A geographical checklist of the Micronesian monocotyledonae. Micronesica 20:1-126.

McCurrach, J. C. 1960. Palms of the world. Harper, New York.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2007. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.