Pseudophoenix sargentii

Pseudophoenix sargentii H. Wendl.

Common Names: Buccaneer Palm, Hog Palmetto,, Hog Cabbage Palm

Habit: Pseudophoenix sargentii grows as an unbranched tree to ten meters with a trunk to 30 cm wide.  The trunk has distinctive circular leaf scars and is often wider at the base than the top.  The leaves are arranged spirally with a concave petiole.  The leaf blade is up to 2 m in length and is pinnately compound.

Both the incomplete, imperfect and complete, imperfect, actinomorphic flowers are arranged in a panicle up to 1 m in length.  The flowers are hermaphroditic or monoecious.  Staminate flowers are larger than carpellate flowers. The calyx has 3 sepals that are fused at the base forming a shallow cup.  The corolla has 3 unfused petals.  There are 6 stamens and the carpel has 3 locules, each containing a single seed.  The fruit is a berry that turns dark red at maturity and is 2 or 3 lobed depending on how many seeds reach maturity.

Habitat: Pseudophoenix sargentii can grow on both a sand or limestone rock substrate but is typically in rock in Dry Broadleaf Evergreen Formations – Forests (coppice) both coastal and interior.

Distribution: Pseudophoenix sargentii occurs throughout the Bahamian Archipelago as well as south Florida, the Caribbean and the Yucatan Peninsula.

Economic/Medicinal/Cultural usage: Pseudophoenix sargentii is not known to be used medicinally in the Lucayan Archipelago.

Pseudophoenix sargentii is commonly used in the horticultural industry. Historically the sap has been used to make alcoholic beverages and the fruits have been used for feeding animals.