Trunk almost subterranean, to 40 × 20 cm above ground; bark brown-gray, scaly. Leaves 1(or 2), 3-pinnate, trullate in outline, flat, 3-7 m × 60-100 cm; petiole subterete, 1.5-2.5 m × 3-6 cm; spines 30-50 along each side, 3-6 cm apart, compressed conical, 3-5 mm; primary leaflets in 12-22 pairs, longitudinally inserted at 60-90° to primary rachis, lanceolate, slightly "V"-shaped in cross section at 100-130° to rachis; middle leaflets largest, 35-60 × 15-20 cm; basal and apical leaflets gradually shorter, 20-40 × 10-15 cm; secondary leaflets flabellate or obtriangular, dichotomously (2 or)3-5-forked, 20-22 × 5-15 cm, with petiolule 0.5-5 cm; segments (ultimate leaflets) obovate-linear, regular, 7-12 × 1-2 cm, papery, midvein slightly elevated on both surfaces, base decurrent, glabrous, margin entire or somewhat wavy, apex shortly acuminate to caudate. Pollen cones fusiform-cylindric, 15-23 × 4-6 cm; microsporophylls 1.2-2 cm × 8-10 mm, tomentose, apex acute. Megasporophylls 8-12 cm, brown tomentose, glabrescent; stalk ca. 4 cm; sterile blade triangular-ovate, 4-7 × 3-6.5 cm, deeply divided into 25-35 subulate lobes 1-3.5 cm; ovules 3-5 on each side of stalk. Seeds 6-10, greenish to yellowish, obovoid, slightly compressed, 2.5-3.2 × 2.3-2.8 cm; sclerotesta finely verrucose, apex mucronate. Pollination Apr-May, seed maturity Oct-Nov.
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