Coccothrinax

File:Coccothrinax scoparia leaf sheaths.JPG showing fibrous leaf sheaths]]

Coccothrinax is a genus of small to medium-sized, fan palms with relatively slender stems{{cite book|last= Uhl|first= Natalie E.|author2=John Dransfield|title=Genera Palmarum: a classification of palms based on the work of Harold E. Moore Jr|year=1987|publisher=The L. H. Bailey Hortorium and the International Palm Society|location=Lawrence, Kansas|pages=179–80}} and 8 to 22 palmate leaves.{{cite book |last1=Henderson |first1=Andrew |author-link= Andrew Henderson (botanist) |last2=Galeano |first2=Gloria |author-link2=Gloria Galeano |last3=Bernal |first3=Rodrigo |author-link3=Rodrigo Bernal |title=Field Guide to the Palms of the Americas |year=1995 |publisher=Princeton University Press |location=Princeton, New Jersey|pages=45–50 | isbn=978-0-691-08537-1 }} The stems are initially covered by fibrous leaf sheaths. These break down into a network of fibres or spines, eventually leaving a bare trunk covered with leaf scars. The undersides of the leaflets are often silvery-grey; this is reflected in the common name "silver palm", which is given to many species of Coccothrinax. The base of the petiole is not split longitudinally. The absence of this trait is a distinguishing character that separates Coccothrinax from Thrinax.

Coccothrinax species bear branched inflorescences that are located among the leaves. The bisexual flowers, which are borne on short stalks, have between 6 and 13 stamens and a single carpel. The fruit are small, single-seeded, and range in colour from purple-red to purple-black, to brown. The seeds are deeply grooved "and resemble a brain".

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{{See also|List of Coccothrinax species}}

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|caption=Simplified phylogeny of the Cryosophileae based on four nuclear genes and the matK plastid gene.{{Cite journal|last1=Cano|first1=Ángela|last2=Bacon|first2=Christine D.|last3=Stauffer|first3=Fred W.|last4=Antonelli|first4=Alexandre|last5=Serrano-Serrano|first5=Martha L.|last6=Perret|first6=Mathieu|date=2018|title=The roles of dispersal and mass extinction in shaping palm diversity across the Caribbean|journal=Journal of Biogeography|language=en|volume=45|issue=6|pages=1432–1443|doi=10.1111/jbi.13225|bibcode=2018JBiog..45.1432C |s2cid=90347155 |issn=1365-2699}}

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The genus Coccothrinax was first described by American botanist Charles Sprague Sargent in 1899. He split the genus away from Thrinax based on characteristics of the fruit and seeds. The genus was based on Sargent's description of C. jucunda (now C. argentata) and C. garberi (also synonymised with C. argentata). He also assigned Thrinax argentea and T. radiata to the genus;{{cite journal| last = Sargent| first = Charles Sprague| author-link = Charles Sprague Sargent| year = 1899| title = New or Little Known North American Trees| journal = Botanical Gazette| volume = 27| issue = 2| pages = 81–94| jstor = 2465176| doi = 10.1086/327795| doi-access = free| url = https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/partpdf/222939}} while the former is now recognised as part of Coccothrinax, the latter remains in Thrinax.{{cite journal| last = Roncal| first = Julissa|author2=Scott Zona |author3=Carl E. Lewis | year = 2008| title = Molecular Phylogenetic Studies of Caribbean Palms (Arecaceae) and Their Relationships to Biogeography and Conservation| journal = Botanical Review| volume = 74| issue = 1| pages = 78–102| doi = 10.1007/s12229-008-9005-9| bibcode = 2008BotRv..74...78R| s2cid = 40119059}} The generic epithet combines "coccus", the Latin word for berry, with Thrinax.

Coccothrinax is the most diverse genus of Caribbean palms. Although Andrew Henderson and colleagues only recognised fourteen species in their 1995 Field Guide to the Palms of the Americas, the current World Checklist of Arecaceae recognises 52 or 53 species.{{cite web|url=http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/wcsp/home.do |title=World Checklist of Arecaceae |accessdate=2009-06-13 |last=Govaerts |first=R. |author-link=Rafaël Govaerts |author2=J. Henderson |author3=S.F. Zona |author4=D.R. Hodel |author5=A. Henderson |year=2006 |publisher=The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070221180119/http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/wcsp/home.do |archive-date=2007-02-21 }}

Coccothrinax is placed in the tribe Cryosophileae.{{cite journal| last = Dransfield| first = John|author2=Natalie W. Uhl |author3=Conny B. Asmussen |author4=William J. Baker |author5=Madeline M. Harley |author6=Carl E. Lewis | year = 2005| title = A New Phylogenetic Classification of the Palm Family, Arecaceae| journal = Kew Bulletin| volume = 60| issue = 4| pages = 559–69| jstor = 25070242}}

Coccothrinax is a primarily Caribbean genus—it is found throughout the insular Caribbean, and in adjacent areas of Mexico and Florida. Species are usually found in dry, open or exposed habitats, on limestone, serpentine or sandy soils.

Coccothrinax argentata ranges from Florida and the Florida Keys, through the Bahamas and San Andrés Island to southeastern Mexico.{{cite web |url=http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/namedetail.do?accepted_id=44377&repSynonym_id=146375&name_id=44377&status=true |title= Coccothrinax argentata|accessdate=2009-06-13 |work= Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families}} Coccothrinax barbadensis ranges through the Lesser Antilles to Trinidad and Tobago and the Netherlands Antilles.{{cite web |url=http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/namedetail.do?accepted_id=44384&repSynonym_id=203950&name_id=44384&status=true |title= Coccothrinax barbadensis|accessdate=2009-06-13 |work= Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families}} The remaining species have narrower distributions; many are known from single populations in Cuba or Hispaniola.{{cite journal | last = Morici | first = Carlo | author-link = Carlo Morici |author2=Raúl Verdecia Pérez | year = 2006 | title = Coccothrinax torrida (Arecaceae), a new species from southeastern Cuba | journal = Brittonia | volume = 58 | issue = 2 | pages = 189–93 | doi = 10.1663/0007-196X(2006)58[189:CTAANS]2.0.CO;2 | s2cid = 21449854 }}

Large collections are grown in Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden (more than 250 plants, more than 23 species),{{Cite web|url=http://www.palmguide.org/index.php|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070212042107/http://www.palmguide.org/index.php|url-status=dead|archive-date=2007-02-12|title=Fairchild Guide to Palms|date=2007-02-12|publisher=Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden|access-date=2018-08-09}} in Miami, Florida, Jardín Botánico Nacional (15 species){{Cite web|url=https://www.bgci.org/garden.php?id=1371|title=Jardin Botanico Nacional de Cuba|publisher=Botanic Gardens Conservation International|access-date=2019-05-05}} in Havana, Cuba, and Palmetum of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (more than 1,000 Thrinax and Coccothrinax plants),{{Cite web|url=http://www.palms.org/palmsjournal/2001/palmetum.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070412042612/http://www.palms.org/palmsjournal/2001/palmetum.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2007-04-12|title=The Palmetum of Santa Cruz de Tenerife|date=2007-04-12|publisher=International Palm Society|access-date=2018-08-09}} in the Canary Islands, Spain.

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{{Arecaceae genera}}

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Category:Arecaceae genera

Category:Flora of the Neotropical realm

Category:Taxa named by Charles Sprague Sargent