Herbs evergreen. Stems underground branched, with numerous adventitious roots, stems terrestrial unbranched. Leaves linear, to 5 m × ca. 5 cm, subleathery, margin with hamate spine, midrib raised abaxially, sparsely spinose, apex acuminate to triangular, with small serrate flagelliform tip. Male inflorescence of spikes to 10 cm; stamens mostly 6; filaments connate in a fascicle below, free above, ca. 3.2 mm, inserted into peduncles, umbraculate; anthers linear, ca. 3 mm, introrse, midrib with keel abaxially and densely spinulose. Carpels numerous, free at apex, adnate to nearby carpels at base. Ovary 1-locular; ovule 1; style short; stigma entire or furcate. Syncarp ellipsoid-globose or subglobose, 10-18 × 5-12 cm, consisting of 250-300 drupes; pericarp of mature fruits becoming fibrous; drupes obconic, ca. 3.3 × 1.2 cm, 5-to 6-ridged; persistent stigma spinose. Fl. Apr-May.
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