The formal description of this as a new species was published in 1985, based largely on specimens collected in 1901.

[5] It has been collected in nature only from rocky pinelands in the region, areas which are now rapidly becoming urbanized.

Dr.Larry Noblick and Daniel Tucker from the Montgomery Botanical Center have found two populations in the Miami area.

(Montgomery Botanical News Fall/Winter 2024 Volume 32, Number 2 page 3) Sabal miamiensis resembles S. etonia but has larger fruits (15–19 mm (0.59–0.75 in) in diameter) and an inflorescences with 3 orders of branching instead of 2.

Stems are primarily subterranean, leaves no more than 6 per plant, each yellow-green and up to 85 cm (33.5 in) long.