Livistona chinensis (Chinese Fan Palm)

Native to eastern Asia, this fan palm develops a single upright trunk marked by old leaf scars. Large, nearly circular fan leaves divide into many narrow segments, with split tips that hang downward and give the crown a fountainlike appearance. Recurved spines occur along the leaf stalks. Branched inflorescences among the leaves carry very small white to yellow flowers. It occurs naturally in coastal forests, often on sandy soil. Its leaves have been used to make fans, hats, brooms, and raincoats. It has escaped cultivation in central and southern Florida. Photographed in Colombia.