List of palms native to the Caribbean

The palm family, Arecaceae, is widespread in the Caribbean. Globally there are about 191 genera and 2339 species as reported in 2004 by Carlo Morici. Their distribution is biased toward islands – 36% of genera and 52% of species are found only on islands, while 32% of genera and 6% of species are found only on continents. Sixty-two percent of monotypic genera are found only on islands.
Phytogeographically, the Caribbean region is often considered to include the coastal plains of the United States (including south Florida), Mexico (especially the Yucatan), Belize, Colombia and Venezuela. Most species either have a wide distribution which includes part of the Caribbean, or are endemic to the Greater Antilles. Of the islands in the Caribbean, Cuba has the most species of palm, followed by Hispaniola. The Windward and Leeward Islands have the fewest. The palm flora of Trinidad and Tobago consists primarily of species with a South American distribution. Three genera of palm are endemic to the Greater Antilles: "Calyptronoma", "Hemithrinax" and "Zombia". Although nearly ubiquitous in the region, the coconut ("Cocos nucifera") is not native to the Caribbean. The Caribbean species in the genus "Copernicia" are all Greater Antillean endemics; two species are restricted to Hispaniola, while the others are restricted to Cuba.
Genera.
Nomenclature follows the Arecaceae section of the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families.
"Acoelorrhaphe".
"Acoelorrhaphe" is a monotypic genus which is distributed around the margins of the Caribbean Sea, from Florida to San Andrés and Providencia, Colombian islands in the western Caribbean. The tree is a slender fan palm growing up to 7 metres (23 ft) tall, usually with many stems clustered together. "Acoelorrhaphe" is a sister genus to "Serenoa" (Saw Palmetto), which is endemic to the southeastern United States. The species usually grows in low-lying areas near sea level, often in flooded woodlands or thickets in savannas.
"Acrocomia".
"Acrocomia" is a genus of spiny palms found throughout the Neotropics, from Mexico to Argentina and throughout the Caribbean. Since it covers such a large range and is highly variable, as many as 40 species have been described in this genus. Most authors recognise only three species, "A. aculeata", "A. crispa" and "A. hassleri", but others considers "A. media" to be distinct from "A. aculeata". Caribbean species have single, spiny stems 4–18 metres (13–59 ft) tall.
"Aiphanes".
"Aiphanes" is a genus of small to medium-sized spiny palms. Caribbean species have solitary stems and are 3 to 18 metres (10 to 59 ft) tall. Most of the 23 species of "Aiphanes" are found in the Andes; two species occur in the Caribbean, including "A. minima", which is endemic to the region. Although many sources ("e.g.", Henderson "et al." 1995) consider the name "A. aculeata" to have precedence over "A. horrida", in keeping with the nomenclature of the World checklist, the latter name is used.
"Astrocaryum".
"Astrocaryum" is a genus of spiny palms native to Mexico, Trinidad, Central and South America; the sharp, flattened spines that cover the trunk can be up to 30 cm (12 inches) long. The Caribbean species has solitary stems, 8 to 20 metres (26 to 66 ft) tall. There are about 36 species in the genus. One of them, "A. aculeatum", occurs in the insular Caribbean, while four others are found in the wider Caribbean: "Astrocaryum alatum" on the Caribbean coast from Panama to Nicaragua, "A. confertum" on the Caribbean coast of Panama and Costa Rica, "A. mexicanum" along the Caribbean coast from Mexico to Nicaragua, and "A. standleyanum" on the Caribbean coast of Panama.
"Attalea".
"Attalea" is a large genus which includes some of the largest Neotropical palms. Three of the 67 species are present in the insular Caribbean, but two of these are restricted to Trinidad and Tobago which is on the continental shelf. The third species, "A. crassispantha", is endemic to southwest Haiti; due to its very small population size, it is classified as a critically endangered species Three other species occur in the wider Caribbean: "Attalea allenii" along the Caribbean coast of Panama and Colombia, "A. cohune" on the Caribbean coast from Mexico to Nicaragua and "A. iguadummat" on the Caribbean coast of Panama.
"Bactris".
"Bactris" is a genus of palms which is found from southern Mexico to northern Paraguay. It is one of the largest and most diverse palm genera in the neotropics. Most species are medium-sized spiny palms with clustered stems. Most of the species present in the Caribbean are spiny trees 1 to 10 metres (3 to 33 ft) tall with clustered stems and pinnate leaves; "B simplicifrons" is smaller (0.5–2 m) and often has simple leaves and no spines.
Seven of the 75 species in the genus "Bactris" occur in the insular Caribbean. Three species - "B. cubensis", "B. jamaicana" and "B. plumeriana" are Greater Antillean endemics, while the other four are South American species which extend north into Trinidad and Tobago. Salzman and Judd consider the three Greater Antillean species of "Bactris" to form a clade with "B. plumeriana" and "B. jamaicana" as sister species. Fifteen other species occur in the wider Caribbean: "Bactris barronis" on the Caribbean coast of Panama and Colombia, "B. caudata" on the Caribbean coast from Nicaragua to Panama, "B. charnleyae" on the Caribbean coast of Panama, "B. coloniata" on the Caribbean coast of Panama, "B. coloradonis" on the Caribbean coast from Costa Rica to Colombia, "B. gasipaes" on the Caribbean coast from Mexico to Venezuela, "B. glandulosa" on the Caribbean coast from Costa Rica, to Colombia, "B. gracilor" on the Caribbean coast from Nicaragua, to Panama, "B. grayumi" on the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua and Costa Rica, "B. guineensis" on the Caribbean coast of Colombia and Venezuela, "B. hondurensis" along the Caribbean coast from Honduras to Colombia, "B. maraja" along the Caribbean coast from Costa Rica to Colombia, "B. mexicana" along the Caribbean coast from Belize to Nicaragua, "B. militaris" along the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica and "B. panamensis" along the Caribbean coast of Panama.
"Calyptronoma".
Palms in the genus "Calyptronoma" have pinnately compound leaves and large, solitary stems 4 to 15 metres (13 to 49 ft) tall. The genus is endemic to the Greater Antilles, inhabiting wet areas near streams. "Calyptronoma" is closely related to the Central American genus "Calyptrogyne".
"Coccothrinax".
"Coccothrinax" is a genus of fan palms found throughout the Caribbean and in adjacent parts of southern Florida and Mexico. Most species are small to medium-sized, with maximum heights between 5 and 15 metres (17 and 49 ft). Only one of the 55 species, "C. readii", is absent from the insular Caribbean. Two species, "C. argentata" and "C. barbadensis", are widespread, while most of the others are restricted to Cuba and Hispaniola.
"Colpothrinax".
"Colpothrinax" is a genus of solitary-stemmed pinnate-leaved palms native to Central America and the Caribbean. There are three species of "Colpothrinax": "C. aphanopetala" and "C. cookii" which are restricted to Central America, and "C. wrightii" which is a Cuban endemic.
"Copernicia".
"Copernicia" is a moderately large genus of spiny, fan palms found in the Caribbean and South America. The Caribbean species are all Greater Antillean endemics; two species are restricted to Hispaniola, while the others are restricted to Cuba. Three species are absent from the insular Caribbean: "C. alba" and "C. prunifera", which are found in South America away from the Caribbean, and "C. tectorum" which is found in northern Venezuela and along the Caribbean coast of Colombia. 
"Desmoncus".
"Desmoncus" is a genus of spiny, scrambling, pinnate-leaved palms which range from Mexico in the north to Bolivia and Brazil in the south. Ten of the twelve species in have solely continental distributions. Two species are found on both the mainland and in the insular Caribbean.
"Euterpe".
"Euterpe" consists of seven slender-stemmed, pinnate-leaved palms native to the Caribbean, Central and South America. The genus has been described as containing "the most beautiful American palms". Four of the seven species are restricted to South America away from the Caribbean, two are found in Central and South America and the insular Caribbean, and "E. broadwayi" is endemic to the eastern Caribbean.
"Gaussia".
"Gaussia" is a genus of solitary, pinnate palms found in the Caribbean, northern Central America and southern Mexico. There are five species in the genus - three are endemic to the Greater Antilles, while "G. gomez-pompae" and "G. maya" are found in the Caribbean coastal region of Mexico, Belize and Guatemala.
"Geonoma".
"Geonoma" is a genus of small to medium-sized palms which grow in the forest understorey. The genus is one of the largest in the neotropics. The genus consists of 64 species, two of which are found in the insular Caribbean. Ten other species are found in the wider Caribbean: "G. chococola", "G. concinna", "G. divisia" and "G. triandra" are found on the Caribbean coast of Panama, "G. congesta" is found along the Caribbean coast from Honduras to Colombia, "G. cuneata" is found along the Caribbean coast from Nicaragua to Colombia, "G. deversa" is found along the Caribbean coast from Belize to Colombia, "G. epetiolaris" and "G. longevaginata" are found along the Caribbean coast from Costa Rica to Panama and "G. triandra" is found along the Caribbean coast of Panama and Colombia.
"Hemithrinax".
"Hemithrinax" is a genus of fan palms which are endemic to Cuba. Many authors include these species in the genus "Thrinax".
"Leucothrinax".
"Leucothrinax" is a monotypic genus of fan palms which is native to the northern Caribbean. The species was split from the genus "Thrinax" after phylogenetic studies showed that its inclusion in "Thrinax" would render that genus paraphyletic.
"Manicaria".
"Manicaria" is a genus of pinnate-leaved palms. One species, "M. saccifera" is found from Belize to Brazil and Peru, while the other "M. martiana" is found in southeastern Colombia and northern Brazil. 
"Mauritia".
"Mauritia" is a genus of fan palms which is native to northern South America. One species has a wide distribution which extends into the insular Caribbean, while the other "M. carana" is restricted to the Amazon region.
"Oenocarpus".
"Oenocarpus" is a genus of pinnate-leaved palms found in Central and South America. "Oenocarpus bataua" is found in Trinidad and along the Caribbean coast of Venezuela, while "O. mapora" is found on the Caribbean coast of Venezuela and Panama.
"Prestoea".
"Prestoea" is a genus of pinnate-leaved palms found in Central and South America and the Caribbean. It is closely related to the genus "Euterpe". Two species are found in the Caribbean - "P. pubigera" is found in Trinidad, and "P. acuminata" is found throughout most of the Caribbean. Four other species, "P. decurrens", "P. ensiformis", "P. longipetiolata" and "P. pubens" are found along the Caribbean coast of Central America.
"Pseudophoenix".
"Pseudophoenix" is a genus of pinnate-leaved palms found throughout the Caribbean. Three species are endemic to the Greater Antilles, while the fourth, "P. sargentii", is widely distributed in the northern Caribbean and adjacent portions of the Central and North American mainland.
"Reinhardtia".
"Reinhardtia" is a genus of simple or palmate-leaved palms found in the wider Caribbean, between Mexico and Colombia, with a single disjunct species which is endemic to Hispaniola. All species are small (1 to 6 metres [3 to 20  ft] tall) and inhabit the forest understorey.
"Roystonea".
"Roystonea" is a genus of pinnate-leaved palms which range from south Florida and Mexico south to Venezuela. Seven species are endemic to the Greater Antilles and the Virgin Islands - four of these are Cuban endemics. The only species which is absent from the insular Caribbean, "R. dunlapiana", is found on the Caribbean coast of Mexico, Honduras and Nicaragua.
"Sabal".
"Sabal" is a genus of fan palms. Six of the sixteen species are native to the insular Caribbean - three of which are endemic to the Greater Antilles and the Virgin Islands. A seventh species, "S. bermudana", is endemic to Bermuda. "Sabal etonia" and "S. miamiensis" are found along the Atlantic coast of Florida, "S. gretheriae" is found on the Caribbean coast of the Yucatan, "S. mexicana" is found along the Caribbean coast of Mexico into south Texas, "S. minor" is found along the Gulf Coast of the United States.
"Syagrus".
"Syagrus" is a genus of primarily South American palms. Thirty of the thirty-one species are South American; the other, "S. amara", is endemic to the Lesser Antilles. One species, "S. orinocensis" is found on the Caribbean coast of Venezuela.
"Thrinax".
"Thrinax" is a genus of fan palms. Three of the four species of are endemic to the insular Caribbean, while the fourth occurs in the insular Caribbean and in Florida, Mexico and Central America. Three species are single-island endemics - two to Jamaica and one to Cuba.
"Zombia".
"Zombia" is a monotypic genus of fan palms which is endemic to Hispaniola. Individuals are up to 3 m (10 ft) tall and grow in dry, hilly regions. It is restricted to serpentine soils, at least in the Dominican Republic.