Sabal is a genus of
New World palms, many of the species being known as
palmetto, a loanword from Spanish language for
Chamaerops humilis (palmito). They are fan palms (Arecaceae tribe
Corypheae), with the
leaves with a bare
petiole terminating in a rounded fan of numerous leaflets; in some of the species, the leaflets are joined for up to half of their length. A variable portion of the leaf petiole may remain persistent on the trunk for many years after leaf fall leaving the trunk rough and spiky, but in some, the lower trunk loses these leaf bases and becomes smooth. The fruit is a
drupe.