saw palmetto

English

saw palmetto leaf petiole (Serenoa repens)

saw palmetto leaf and fruit (Chamaerops humilis)

Etymology

The edges of the leaflets of this palm have strong spines, like a saw.

Noun

saw palmetto (plural saw palmettos)

1. A sprawling-stemmed spiny-leaved dwarf palm (Serenoa repens) forming large colonies, especially by sprouting, native to Florida and the coastal plains of other southeastern states of the United States.
2. A similar plant (Chamaerops humilis), native to Europe and north Africa

Derived terms

• silver saw palmetto (Acoelorraphe wrightii)

References

• Serenoa on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Serenoa repens on Wikispecies.Wikispecies
• Serenoa repens on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons
• saw palmetto at USDA Plants database
• Chamaerops humilis on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Chamaerops humilis on Wikispecies.Wikispecies
• Chamaerops humilis on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons