Copernicia is a genus of palms native to South America and the Greater Antilles. Of the known species and nothospecies (hybrids), 22 of the 27 are endemic to Cuba.[1]
They are fan palms (Arecaceae tribe Corypheae), with the leaves with a bare petiole terminating in a rounded fan of numerous leaflets. The species are small to medium-sized trees growing to 5–30 m tall, typically occurring close to streams and rivers in savanna habitats.[2]
The genus is named after the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus.
In some of the species, the leaves are coated with a thin layer of wax, known as carnauba wax.
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