ana ▁is ▁a ▁small , ▁th orn less , ▁single - st em med ▁pal m ▁that ▁reaches ▁a ▁height ▁of ▁. ▁The ▁st ems ▁are ▁ ▁in ▁diameter . ▁The ▁st ems ▁of ▁younger ▁trees ▁are ▁covered ▁with ▁old ▁leaf ▁she ath s , ▁but ▁they ▁become ▁bare ▁in ▁older ▁individuals . ▁The ▁leaf ▁she ath s , ▁which ▁wrap ▁around ▁the ▁tr unk ▁of ▁the ▁pal m , ▁are ▁ ▁long , ▁the ▁pet i oles ▁are ▁ ▁and ▁the ▁central ▁segments ▁of ▁the ▁leaf ▁bla de ▁are ▁ ▁long . ▁The ▁leaf ▁bl ades ▁are ▁bl u ish ▁silver ▁or ▁ash - gre y , ▁a ▁feature ▁which ▁is ▁absent ▁from ▁other ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁genus ▁C occ oth r ina x . ▁ ▁Tax onomy ▁ ▁C occ oth r ina x ▁has ▁a ▁circum - Car ib bean ▁distribution , ▁with ▁most ▁of ▁its ▁divers ity ▁in ▁species ▁en demic ▁to ▁the ▁islands ▁of ▁Cuba ▁and ▁His p ani ola . ▁The ▁genus ▁is ▁considered ▁" tax onom ically ▁difficult ", ▁and ▁in ▁need ▁of ▁a ▁complete ▁tax onom ic ▁treatment . ▁Th irty - e ight ▁of ▁the ▁ 3 9 ▁accepted ▁species ▁of ▁C occ oth r ina x ▁in ▁Cuba ▁are ▁en demic ▁to ▁the ▁island ; ▁one ▁species , ▁C . ▁fra gr ans ▁is ▁also ▁found ▁on ▁the ▁island ▁of ▁His p ani ola . ▁C occ oth r ina x ▁spir itu ana ▁was ▁first ▁collected ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 5