Trunk cylindric, simple, to 2(-3) m × 25(-30) cm, apex densely tomentose; bark brown to dark gray, scaly. Leaves 30-60(-80), 1-pinnate, 0.7-1.3 m × 18-25 cm; petiole subrhombic in cross section, 7-20 cm, with 5-13 spines along each side of apical part, base densely brown tomentose; leaf blade oblong, flat to irregularly and slightly "V"-shaped in cross section, brown tomentose when young; leaflets in 70-120 pairs, longitudinally inserted at 50-60° to rachis, straight to slightly falcate, 12-20 cm × 6-7 mm, leathery, glabrous, midvein never sulcate adaxially, base decurrent, margin flat or slightly recurved, apex acuminate, pungent. Cataphylls triangular-lanceolate, 6-9 × 2-2.5 cm, densely brown tomentose. Pollen cones fusiform-or ovoid-cylindric, 25-45 × 8-12 cm; microsporophylls narrowly cuneate, 4-6 × 1.8-2 cm, apex broadly rounded, shortly cuspidate. Megasporophylls more than 30, tightly grouped, 15-20 cm, densely brown tomentose; stalk 8-12 cm; sterile blade rhombic or rhombic-ovate, 8-10 × 4-6 cm, margin glabrescent and pectinate, with 23-41 subulate lobes 1-3 cm, terminal lobe subulate, longer than lateral lobes; ovules 2 or 3 on each side of distal part of stalk, glabrous. Seeds 2-4, bright orange-red when mature, globose or obovoid-globose, slightly compressed, 2.5-3.5 × 2.2-3 cm, apex shortly mucronate; sclerotesta smooth, shortly mucronate. Pollination Apr-May, seed maturity Sep-Oct.
Occurs typically in fairly dry, closed low woodland or shrubland thickets on moderately to steeply sloping sites; at elevations from 1,100-2,000 metres.
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