Slender tree to 12 m high. Leaves strongly arcuate; c. 2–3 (–5) m long; petiole short, 20–40 cm long; pinnae 30–60 cm long, borne upwards at an acute angle to rachis. Inflorescence spicate, 1–1.8 m long, pendulous, with a prophyll at base. Male flowers creamy brown; stamens short, numerous. Female flowers developing a year after male flowers. Fruit ovoid-ellipsoidal, 3–4 cm long, shortly and slightly beaked, brownish red.
On basalt on lower slopes throughout the Island from c. 50–400 m altitude (Green 1994: 410); slopes and ridges of lowland hills and mountains to 500 m; only occasionally in dense stands, more usually scattered through rainforest (Department of Environment and Climate Change (NSW) 2007: Appendices 167).
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