''Coccothrinax argentea'' is a
palm
Palm most commonly refers to:
* Palm of the hand, the central region of the front of the hand
* Palm plants, of family Arecaceae
**List of Arecaceae genera
* Several other plants known as "palm"
Palm or Palms may also refer to:
Music
* Palm (ba ...
which is
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...
to
Hispaniola.
This species is frequently confused with ''
Coccothrinax argentata''.
Description
It is a medium-sized palm (growing about 10 m tall. Leaves are dark green above and silvery below.
Like other ''Coccothrinax'' species, ''C. argentea'' is a
fan palm
Fan palm as a descriptive term can refer to any of several different kinds of palms (Arecaceae) in various genera with leaves that are palmately lobed (rather than pinnately compound). Most are members of the subfamily Coryphoideae, though a few ...
. Very young leaves are eaten as a vegetable.
Uses
It is also used
medicinally by traditional healers to treat
uterine fibroids
Uterine fibroids, also known as uterine leiomyomas or fibroids, are benign smooth muscle tumors of the uterus. Most women with fibroids have no symptoms while others may have painful or heavy periods. If large enough, they may push on the bl ...
and
hot flash
Hot flashes (also known as hot flushes) are a form of flushing, often caused by the changing hormone levels that are characteristic of menopause. They are typically experienced as a feeling of intense heat with sweating and rapid heartbeat, and ...
es.
Name
Common names include: Hispaniola silver thatch palm,
[ Cana,][ Guano, Latanye marron, Latanye savanne,]
References
argentea
Trees of Haiti
Trees of the Dominican Republic
Plants described in 1830
Taxa named by Odoardo Beccari
{{Arecaceae-stub