any of several low-growing palms with fan-shaped leaves
"The visitor asked if she could touch a native palmetto while exploring the garden's shaded corner."
Any member of either of two closely related genera of New World palms, of the family Arecaceae:
"The native palmetto swayed gently in the coastal breeze, its distinctive fan-shaped leaves marking the edge of the marsh."
Serenoa or its sole species Serenoa repens, the saw palmetto, which has medicinal uses;
"The doctor prescribed a supplement containing saw palmetto to help reduce my chronic prostate inflammation."