Sabal Palm Identification Field Guide (see description)

▬ Contents of this video ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
00:00 - Intro
00:08 - Step 1
00:18 - Step 2
00:27 - Step 3
00:38 - Step 4
00:47 - Step 5
00:57 - Step 6
01:06 - Step 7
01:16 - Step 8
01:26 - Step 9
01:35 - Step 10
01:46 - Step 11
01:56 - Step 12
02:05 - Step 13
02:14 - Step 14
02:25 - Step 15
02:34 - Step 16
02:44 - Step 17

SABAL PALM IDENTIFICATION FIELD GUIDE
1. Trunk Height
1a. Trunks short and subterranean or up to 2 m (79 in) tall go to step 2
1b. Trunks erect, 4-20 m (157-787 in) tall - go to step 4

2. Inflorescence Length (Short-trunked palms)
2a. Inflorescences shorter than the yellow-green leaves - Sabal etonia
2b. Inflorescences shorter or equal the green leaves, Fruit 12-15mm (larger than minor), costa 15-28cm - Sabal tamaulipensis
2c. Inflorescences as long or longer than the green leaves - go to step 3

3. Inflorescence Branching and Fruit Size
3a. Branched to 2 orders; fruits 0.6-1.0 cm (0.24-0.39 in) long - Sabal minor
3b. Branched to 3 orders; fruits 1.4-1.7 cm (0.55-0.67 in) long - Sabal miamiensis

4. Erect Trunks 4-20 m (157-787 in) Tall
4a. Southeastern US (NC to FL) and the Caribbean go to step 5
4b. Southern US (TX) to Central and northern South America - go to step 11

5. Trunk Diameter
5a. Trunks more than 35 cm (13.78 in) diameter - go to step 6
5b. Trunks 15-35 cm (5.91-13.78 in) diameter - go to step 8

6. Inflorescence Orientation
6a. Erect or ascending (especially early) - Sabal maritima
6b. Arched or drooping - go to step 7

7. Fruit Shape and Size
7a. Round, 0.7-1.1 cm (0.28-0.43 in) diameter - Sabal causiarum
7b. Pear-shaped, 1.1-1.4 cm (0.43-0.55 in) diameter - Sabal domingensis

8. Geography
8a. Bermuda - Sabal bermudana
8b. Cuba, Bahamas, SE US - go to step 9

9. Inflorescence Orientation
9a. Erect or ascending - Sabal maritima- 9b. Arched or drooping - go to step 10

10. Leaflet Attachment
10a. Strongly costapalmate; all leaflets joined equally - Sabal palmetto
10b. Moderately costapalmate; leaflets joined in pairs or threes - Sabal yapa

11. Leaflet Joining Pattern
11a. All leaflets joined uniformly - go to step 12
11b. Leaflets joined in pairs for half their length - go to step 17

12. Region: Western & Southern Mexico
12a. From Sonora to Federal District - go to step 13
12b. NE/E Mexico to Oaxaca - go to step 15
12c. San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge - Sabal brazoriensis

13. Inflorescence Orientation
13a. Inflorescence drooping, shorter than fronds, Rio Balsas Basin - Sabal pumos
13b. Arching - go to step 14

14. Leaf and Branch Features
14a. Fronds even green color, inflorescence branches thin and curled, Sinaloa to Jalisco - Sabal rosei
14b. Glaucous fronds, inflorescence stiff, Sonora to Chihuahua - Sabal uresana

15. Fruit Shape and Size
15a. Fruits 1.5-2.0 cm (0.59-0.79 in) - go to step 16
15b. Pear-shaped fruits 1.1-1.4 cm (0.43-0.55 in) - Sabal guatemalensis

16. Leaflet Width
16a. Broadest leaflet 6-7 cm (2.36-2.76 in) - Sabal gretheriae
16b. Broadest leaflet 3.2-5.3 cm (1.26-2.09 in) - Sabal mexicana

17. Leaflets Joined in Groups
17a. Groups of leaflets joined for most of length and each group joined for 1/3 the length - Sabal mauritiiformis
17b. Groups of leaflets joined for 1/2 of length and each group joined for 1/6 the length - Sabal yapa