Sabal ID….

[RJ]

So I’ve been watching these sabal’s grow for at least 15 years. I can’t put my finger on what they are. They both exhibit the same trates, are surrounded but what I would consider normal sabal’s in FL. 
 

The seed stalks are short… literally about two feet tall. Seeds are small. I don’t have anyway to measure them presently but can when I get home.   What do the sabal guru’s think? 
 

 

Edited April 2 by RJ

[Dwarf Fan]

Definitely not a Sabal Mexicana because the seed is way too small, maybe a fat trucked Sabal Palmetto:

 

[RJ]

3 hours ago, Dwarf Fan said:

Definitely not a Sabal Mexicana because the seed is way too small, maybe a fat trucked Sabal Palmetto:

 

Thanks for the link, interesting lead. The one thing that gets me on these two Sabal’s is the seed stalks are extremely short, every palmetto I see wether it be down here in FL or up in SC they always are at least as long as the leafs, usually longer. 

 

Based on seed , you’re correct. Definitely not mexicana….

 

 

[Dwarf Fan]

3 hours ago, RJ said:

Thanks for the link, interesting lead. The one thing that gets me on these two Sabal’s is the seed stalks are extremely short, every palmetto I see wether it be down here in FL or up in SC they always are at least as long as the leafs, usually longer. 

 

Based on seed , you’re correct. Definitely not mexicana….

 

 

You are right about the short inflorescences that is a significant clue but beyond my knowledge of Sabal species ID.

Very interesting.

[RJ]

According to this, I suppose the only one that fits the bill is S. Bermudana …

 

 

[OC2Texaspalmlvr]

4 minutes ago, RJ said:

According to this, I suppose the only one that fits the bill is S. Bermudana …

Says Bermudana seeds are pear shaped tho ? 

T J 

[RJ]

56 minutes ago, OC2Texaspalmlvr said:

Says Bermudana seeds are pear shaped tho ? 

T J 

Yeah, clearly the ones I’ve got aren’t. 🤷‍♂️

Edited April 2 by RJ

[RJ]

Sabal praha ? 🤔

 

http://w3.biosci.utexas.edu/prc/Sabal/PrahaPalmID.html

[Chester B]

1 hour ago, RJ said:

Sabal praha ? 🤔

 

http://w3.biosci.utexas.edu/prc/Sabal/PrahaPalmID.html

Who's going to be distributing those seeds?  Highly unlikely.  There are only a few of those palms and they have skinny trunks.

If it weren't for the seeds I would've said Mexicana, that's what they look like around here.

Remember there is variation amongst individuals so sometimes things don't match the keys perfectly.  My guess would be a couple of related exceptionally stout Palmettos.  The one big Sabal I had before, would not always produce flower stalks the same length each year so maybe this year they are short and in other years long?

Nice palms though.

[RJ]

2 hours ago, Chester B said:

Who's going to be distributing those seeds?  Highly unlikely.  There are only a few of those palms and they have skinny trunks.

If it weren't for the seeds I would've said Mexicana, that's what they look like around here.

Remember there is variation amongst individuals so sometimes things don't match the keys perfectly.  My guess would be a couple of related exceptionally stout Palmettos.  The one big Sabal I had before, would not always produce flower stalks the same length each year so maybe this year they are short and in other years long?

Nice palms though.

Agree… seems unlikely to me as well. As I’ve said I’ve been watching these two for at least 15 years (I’ve been coming to this same place since the mid 80’s)

in regards to flower stalks, these two palms as you can see consistently produce short stalks. I’ve got some seed, and actually some off spring from prior years back home. I’ll plant them and hope they look as good as their parents . 🤞

[redbeard917]

IMO seeds that look like that - shrunken and with a texture like a brain or bumpy, rather than smooth, are dried out duds. Maybe I'm wrong about that. Did the ones that you sprouted look like that?

I agree that the short inflorescences are strange. But of course, Sabal 'Lisa' is also very strange, so maybe it's within the normal variation of the species. I have a Sabal bermudana and its leaves are kind of subtly larger and chunkier than the Sabal palmettos here, but I think there is variability in that too.

[jwitt]

I know some on this board collected seed from filifera in Luling for some time. I could easily see the same in nearby Praha. 

A fellow palmnut, on interstate 10, with interests in the Praha area,  seeing cool looking "palmettos" survive those 1980's. 

Maybe,

Just,

Maybe.

 

On a side note, anybody ever seen those Praha palms?

[jwitt]

And I see @Chester B saw them and says they are skinny in Praha. 

My bad....

 

 

[RJ]

10 hours ago, redbeard917 said:

IMO seeds that look like that - shrunken and with a texture like a brain or bumpy, rather than smooth, are dried out duds. Maybe I'm wrong about that. Did the ones that you sprouted look like that?

I agree that the short inflorescences are strange. But of course, Sabal 'Lisa' is also very strange, so maybe it's within the normal variation of the species. I have a Sabal bermudana and its leaves are kind of subtly larger and chunkier than the Sabal palmettos here, but I think there is variability in that too.

They could be duds. I’ve got some others that I have yet to clean off. The ones I have I actually dug from underneath these palms a couple years ago. I never seem to visit when these two are actively producing seeds. 😡

[Chester B]

10 hours ago, jwitt said:

And I see @Chester B saw them and says they are skinny in Praha. 

My bad....

 

 

I've just seen the photos that got posted here by @GoatLockerGuns.  Maybe he can provide more info.

To tell the truth I have seen Sabal "Praha" as I do have two of them.  All I can say about these little ones is that they have very twisty strap leaves.

[jwitt]

I find it interesting both the types and locations of palms.  Who would have thought Praha?

The palms posted are beautiful and I also would have thought Mexicana.