Stems clustered, climbing, to 10 m, to 1 cm in diam. Leaf sheaths greenish brown, with scattered, dark brown, needlelike spines to 0.5 cm; ocreas present; knees present; flagella absent; rachis to 0.7 m with 5-10 broadly lanceolate pinnae per side, these remotely clustered, apical pair free at base; middle pinnae to 25 cm, 3-3.5 cm wide at mid-point, adaxial veins and margins bristly; cirri to 0.5 m. Inflorescences to 0.6 m, not flagellate; inflorescence bracts tubular. Fruits yellowish, globose to ellipsoid, to 0.8 cm in diam.