Stems to 1.5 (-2.5) m tall. Leaves 60-125 cm long, strongly keeled (opposing pinnae inserted at 45-90° on rachis), with 130-320 pinnae, mid-green or blue, dull or semi-glossy. Petiole 8-23 cm long, spinescent for 50-100% of length. Median pinnae 11-17 cm long, 2.5-4 mm wide, narrowed to 2-3 mm at base (to 80-100% of maximum width), inserted at 40-60° to rachis, 5-9 mm apart, glabrous; margins strongly recurved; midrib raised above, prominently raised below. Cataphylls narrowly triangular, soft, to 7 cm long. Pollen cones 35-45 cm long, 5-12 cm diam. Microsporophyll lamina 20-30 mm long, 8-13 mm wide; apical spine 6-25 mm long. Megasporophylls 25-45 cm long, with 2-6 ovules; lamina lanceolate, 95-190 mm long, 18-40 mm wide, shallowly pectinate or regularly dentate with 14-24 lateral spines 5-10 mm long and 2-3 mm wide; apical spine 10-45 mm long. Seeds 32-36 mm long, 28-32 mm wide.
Found in mainly skeletal sandy soils on siliceous substrata, from metasandstones to granites. One occurrence in W.A. is, however, in red Terra Rosa soil on limestone (near Tunnel Creek, Napier Range).
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