Stems to 6 m tall. Leaves 70-120 cm long, flat (not keeled) in section (opposing pinnae inserted at 150-180° on rachis), with 120-210 pinnae, dark green, semi-glossy to highly glossy. Petiole 23-35 cm long, unarmed or sometimes spinescent for 5-50% of length. Median pinnae 7.5-15 cm long, 4.5-7 mm wide, narrowed to 3-4 mm at base (to 50-80% of maximum width), inserted at 70-90° to rachis, 7-9 mm apart, glabrous; margins flat; midrib raised above and below. Cataphylls linear, pungent, 8-12 cm long. Pollen cones c. 20 cm long, c. 8 cm diam. Megasporophylls 15-27 cm long, with 2-6 ovules; lamina lanceolate, 40-65 mm long, 20-30 mm wide, regularly dentate with 14-34 lateral spines 5-7 mm long and 1 mm wide; apical spine 17-24 mm long. Seeds 33 mm long, 28 mm wide.
Locally abundant on flat sites in deep white to yellow sands over laterites or sometimes on low, stony, laterite hills, mainly in savanna forests dominated by Eucalyptus tetrodonta .
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