Stout, 5-12 m. tall,-zslender: leaf-blade 1 m. long, with 20 or more pairs of opposite or subopposite long and large glabrous dark green pinnae; petiole 20 cm. and more long above the sheath, strongly ridged on top and more or less triangular in cross-section; sheaths 30 cm. and more long, stoutly many-striate, 3-4 cm. broad at middle, clasping the cane, narrowly winged at apex; main pinnae 60-65 cm. long, 3-5 cm. broad or the upper ones less than 2 cm., gradually and straightly tapering into long narrow ends or the young upper ones slightly curved but not sigmoid and caudate, all conspicuously ribbed particularly underneath, the central rib more pronounced than the 2 others on either side, intermediate nerves not prominent, the 5 main ribs 5-7 mm. apart; staminate spadix or truss large and diffuse in anthesis, 75 cm. and more long and very broad, on a many-sheathed peduncle 30-65 cm. long, sheaths soon shreddy; rachillae numerous, slender and flexuose, glabrous, simple or some of them once or twice forked, 20-50 cm. long, laxly flowered; pistillate spadix much like the staminate but rachillae fewer, shorter and less diffuse, 12-20 of them 10-30 cm. long: fruit globular, 8-10 mm. thick in mature dry state, somewhat fleshy on exterior, becoming wrinkled and reticulate in drying, cupule about 6-7 mm. across and with very broad lobes.