Thrinax Radiata and Leucothrinax Morissii - Maybe...

[Sabal Steve]

So, I picked up a palm as a Cocothrinax, that which appears to be a Thrinax radiata.  A friend in Florida was generous enough to send me some Leucothrinax morissii seeds (which I'm still going to germ and circulate) , but I saw one at the nursery that was a few full years ahead of schedule, and I just couldn't pass it up.  

Anyways, I looked at it next to the Thrinax mentioned above, and it seems pretty similar.  the only difference that I can notice is the palm labeled morissii has longer petioles, which I assume was just due to the greenhouse it was grown in.  I don't see any silver underneath the morissii leaves.

Thoughts?  Can anyone tell for sure what either one of these are.

The "Thrinax" is in the brown clay pot, and the "Leucothrinax" is in the nursery 1 gal.

 

 

[Bigfish]

It's funny how I'm barely even aware of the US native palms that I can't grow (which in zone 7 is most of them).  Hope you get an answer!

Edited January 6, 2016 by Bigfish

[PalmatierMeg]

I have both. Leucothrinax have smaller fronds and, I believe, those have a silvery sheen on the reverse. Radiata fronds are quite large and droopy, light green on the reverse (it's dark out so I can't check). Radiatas remind me of a floppy, shaggy dog (getting scientific here).

[Silas_Sancona]

Steve,

Meg's observations are spot on. Seeing both growing side by side at Kopsick,  T. radiata is the "floppy dog" of the two, and lacks the silvery undersides of the leaves, easily seen from a distance. Had pictures of both id taken last year but my camera decided to erase the entire SD card ( goodbye everything from 2015). Also have both as seedlings. Leu. morissii, at least my seedlings, look like thin grass blades while T. r's are thicker.. but, some of my seed did get mixed, so i may have Coccothrinax seed in with the radiata atm.

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

I think the ID of the Leucothrinax is correct.  But I think the other is more likely to be a Cocothrinax.  The leaf pinnae look very thin for a T morrisii.  Of course, pix are great but they rarely convey any where close to the amount of information one gets in person.  If you can get a close up of where the petiole attaches to the tree "trunk", we should be able to get to the genus.  I will take a pix of the Thrinax leaf bases and post shortly.

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

Here is a photo of a decent size Thrinax.  See how the leaf base is split down the center.  That doean't happen in Cocothrinax.