Arboreous but not very tall fan-leaved single-trunk palms, with branching and.more or less extensive root-thorns on the trunk or at least near the base of it but the plants devoid of true spines: leaf-blades glaucous or very thinly pubescent on lower surface, divided to near the base into many narrow segments: spadices interfoliar, briefly branched, usually shorter than the leaves, the clusters attended by broad and conspicuous papery more or less tomentose nodifronds: flowers hermaphrodite, the parts in 3's; petals free or connate; 6 stamens and .3 stigmas exserted from the more or less closed perianth at full anthesis, filaments united part of their length; ovary 3-loculed: fruit drupe-like, globose, oblong or short-pyriform, 2-3 cm. or less long, exterior fleshy but usually firm at maturity, con-taining commonly a single pea-like seed.
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