Sabal mexicana
in C. F. P. von Martius el al., Historia Naturalis Palmarum 3: 246, plate 8. 18398.
Stems aerial, 20–35 cm diam. Leaves 10–30, strongly costapalmate; hastula acute to acuminate, 9.5–15.5 cm; segments filiferous, 80–145 × 3.2–5.3 cm; apices bifid2-cleft. Inflorescences with 3 orders of branching (not counting main inflorescence axis), arching, about ± as long as leaves. Flowers 3.7–6.5 mm. Fruits black, oblate- spheroid, length 13.8–17 mm, diam. diam. 14.8–19.3 mm. diam.. Seeds 5.4–7.4 mm, diam. 8.6–13.3 mm diam. 2n = 36.
Phenology: Flowering spring–summer (all year in southern part of range).
Habitat: Mesic hammocks, floodplains, levees, river banks, swamps
Elevation: 0–50 m
Distribution
Tex., Mexico, Central America (Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua).
Discussion
L. Lockett (1991) suggested that Hhybridization between Sabal mexicana and S. minor is possibly evidenced by a small population of caulescent palms in Brazoria County, Texas (L. Lockett 1991). Further research is needed to test this hypothesis.
Selected References
None.