A　reliable　in　situ　self-generating　template　strategy　has　been　developed　for　the　synthesis　of　flowerlike　carbon　nanosheets　by　hydrothermal　carbonization　in　the　presence　of　both　silica　and　zinc　acetate　using　glucose　as　the　carbon　source.　Scanning　electron　microscopy　(SEM),　transmission　electron　microscopy　(TEM),　atomic　force　microscopy　(AFM),　powder　X-ray　diffraction　(XRD),　Raman　spectroscopy,　nitrogen　sorption　isotherm　measurement　(BET)　and　element　analysis　revealed　the　morphology,　crystal　phase　structure,　porosity　and　chemical　composition.　The　formation　of　the　zinc　silicate　nanosheet　template　was　due　to　the　hydrolysis　of　amorphous　silica　and　self-assembly　under　hydrothermal　conditions.　The　resulting　flowerlike　carbon　nanosheets　proved　to　be　an　excellent　palladium　catalyst　support.