Sabal miamiensis

Sabal miamiensis, the Miami palmetto, is a rare plant species endemic to Dade County, Florida, in the vicinity of the city of Miami.

Taxonomy
The formal description of this as a new species was published in 1985, based largely on specimens collected in 1901. Sabal miamiensis is closely related to S. etonia, of which it is sometimes considered a synonym, or a hybrid of S. etonia and S. palmetto.

Conservation
Only one population is known; it consists of a few individuals in Crandon Park, Miami, Florida. It is seriously threatened and may possibly already be extinct in the wild, although it is still in cultivation as an ornamental. It has been collected in nature only from rocky pinelands in the region, areas which ae now rapidly becoming urbanized.

Description
Sabal miamiensis resembles S. etonia but has larger fruits (15 - 19 mm in diameter) and an inflorescences with 3 orders of branching instead of 2. Stems are primarily subterranean, leaves no more than 6 per plant, each yellow-green and up to 85 cm long. Flowers are creamy white, each 5-5.5 mm long. Fruits are black and fleshy.