Fan palm

Fan palm as a descriptive term can refer to any of several different kinds of palms in various genera with leaves that are palmately (rather than pinnately) compound. Among these genera are:

Borassus
Licuala
Bismarckia
Pritchardia
Rhapis
Rhapidophyllum
Sabal
Trachycarpus
Copernicia
Thrinax
Trithrinax
Coccothrinax

Fan palm can also be used as part of the common name of particular genera or species. Among the palms commonly known as fan palms are:

Chamaerops (European fan palm)
Livistona (Chinese fan palm and others)
Washingtonia (California fan palm, Mexican fan palm)

The Travellers palm (Ravenala madagascariensis) is often called a fan palm because of its distinctive shape; however it is not a true palm.

See also

Fan Palm Reserve