I know that the species Sabal miamiensis has been subsumed into S. etonia. I have no doctorate in palm botany, but I've grown both and I see a noticeable difference between them. S.e. is much more robust, while S.m. is much more delicate, almost lacy, in appearance. Yesterday I took photos of my S.m., which went palmate last year.

Sabal miamiensis/etonia, Cape Coral, FL

Meg - according to Dr. Larry Noblick's presentation at the last SFPS meeting, it is very difficult to tell S. etonia & S. miamiensis apart unless fruiting. S. miamiensis has very large fruit in comparison to S. etonia. It looks like you may have to wait to see.

Dr. Noblick also mentioned that Dr. Scott Zona has alleged this species may be extinct. It's habitat was the sandy coastal area in the Miami area which is mostly high-rise buildings and added fill. Robert Lee Riffle and Paul Craft's An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms made mention that Sabal Miamiensis was extinct. However, Dr. Noblick did not rule out that some collectors from the early days may have planted some away from their habitat and could possibly exist in some old neighborhoods.

Sabal miamiensis is based on old herbarium specimens, there may not be a living soul who has seen an alive one. I will be keeping an eye out in old neighborhoods east of the Miami River for sure. If you find a Sabal etonia with very large fruit, I am sure either of these gentlemen would love to see that palm.

Meg - according to Dr. Larry Noblick's presentation at the last SFPS meeting, it is very difficult to tell S. etonia & S. miamiensis apart unless fruiting. S. miamiensis has very large fruit in comparison to S. etonia. It looks like you may have to wait to see.

Dr. Noblick also mentioned that Dr. Scott Zona has alleged this species may be extinct. It's habitat was the sandy coastal area in the Miami area which is mostly high-rise buildings and added fill. Robert Lee Riffle and Paul Craft's An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms made mention that Sabal Miamiensis was extinct. However, Dr. Noblick did not rule out that some collectors from the early days may have planted some away from their habitat and could possibly exist in some old neighborhoods.

Sabal miamiensis is based on old herbarium specimens, there may not be a living soul who has seen an alive one. I will be keeping an eye out in old neighborhoods east of the Miami River for sure. If you find a Sabal etonia with very large fruit, I am sure either of these gentlemen would love to see that palm.

Interesting. I knew S.m. was extinct in the wild but had read that it exists in cultivation. I received my seedling as a S.m. but who knows? Anyway, I'm leaving it in its place of honor at the edge of the front yard. And I still believe it is different from all the other Sabal species I've grown.

As for S. etonia, it is not native to my area so I'm not likely to stumble across a grove of them. Nor do I plan to tromp through north and central FL looking for xl S.e. seeds.

Meg - according to Dr. Larry Noblick's presentation at the last SFPS meeting, it is very difficult to tell S. etonia & S. miamiensis apart unless fruiting. S. miamiensis has very large fruit in comparison to S. etonia. It looks like you may have to wait to see.

Dr. Noblick also mentioned that Dr. Scott Zona has alleged this species may be extinct. It's habitat was the sandy coastal area in the Miami area which is mostly high-rise buildings and added fill. Robert Lee Riffle and Paul Craft's An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms made mention that Sabal Miamiensis was extinct. However, Dr. Noblick did not rule out that some collectors from the early days may have planted some away from their habitat and could possibly exist in some old neighborhoods.

Sabal miamiensis is based on old herbarium specimens, there may not be a living soul who has seen an alive one. I will be keeping an eye out in old neighborhoods east of the Miami River for sure. If you find a Sabal etonia with very large fruit, I am sure either of these gentlemen would love to see that palm.

Interesting. I knew S.m. was extinct in the wild but had read that it exists in cultivation. I received my seedling as a S.m. but who knows? Anyway, I'm leaving it in its place of honor at the edge of the front yard. And I still believe it is different from all the other Sabal species I've grown.

As for S. etonia, it is not native to my area so I'm not likely to stumble across a grove of them. Nor do I plan to tromp through north and central FL looking for xl S.e. seeds.

LOL Meg they wouldn't be in those areas. I am not saying you don't have a S. miamiensis, it just the probabilities are small. By the way, Dr. Noblick did show us some photos of some very,very rare and ancient trunking S. etonia. That was a new one to me.

Meg, my attention was captured by the cacti background

I would say it's extinct. Meg, It would be totally awesome if you actually had a real Sabal miamiensis, but with the varation found in sabals(even within a species), combined with all of the experts saying this palm is most likely extinct, I would have to say you probably have two different looking etonias.