Tree 4-6 m. tall, 12-15 cm. diameter, the trunk without spines but the per-sistent bases of old leaves bearing spines and carrying the spines with them when eventually they wither away: leaves 6-7 m. long, widely spreading on long petioles and more or less arched, the petiole occupying one-third the length of leaf just stated; pinnae usually in closely placed clusters of 2-15 parts or segments, terminal segments confluent, basal pinnae 50-60 cm. long, middle pinnae 15-95 cm. long, width 3-6 or 7 cm., apices truncate or oblique and erose, upper surface glossy, under surface gray, strong nerves several to many and prominent, surfaces free of spines, under side of leaf-rachis at middle and base bearing ap-pressed flat thin-winged spines 2-5 cm. long and 4-8 mm. broad: spadices erect or-strongly ascending, as broad as long, flowering part 20-25 cm.. long, the simple rachillae 16-18 cm. long; staminate flowers urceolate, 5-6 mm. long, the short basifixed anthers barely exserted: fruit obpyriform, 6-7 cm. long, 4 cm. broad near apex, angled on the lower part from pressure in the congested short spike, conic beak 7-10 mm. long, narrow base set in a deep floral cup, brownish-green becoming rusty, upper part pimpled and bearing brown-black hairs 12 mm. or less long, beak unarmed; when dry the thin shell breaks easily and discloses an angled nutlet 5-7 cm. long with 3 conspicuous radiated pores and surface marked with rapheal fibers.
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