Plants small to moderate. Stem solitary, erect, ± smooth. Leaves: sheath producing soft fibers; petiole split at base, unarmed; abaxial hastula a small crescent-shaped ridge or absent; adaxial hastula irregularly semicircular to nearly cylindric; blade palmate; plication induplicate; segments lanceolate, basally connate; cross veins conspicuous [obscure]. Inflorescences interfoliar, emerging through split leaf bases, arching beyond leaves, with 2 orders of pendent branches; prophyll short; peduncular bracts many, tubular. Flowers bisexual, borne singly along rachillae, short-to long-pedicellate; perianth 1-seriate, shallowly cupulate, lobes 5--7, apiculate; stamens 6--12, erect [inflexed in bud]; filaments acute; anthers dorsifixed; pistils 1, 1-carpellate, glabrous; stigma funnelform. Fruits globose; stigmatic scar apical; exocarp white, smooth, slightly warty or rugose when dry; mesocarp mealy; endocarp membranaceous. Seeds oblate-globose; hilum deeply intruded into seed, forming cylindric depression or perforation; endosperm homogeneous, bony; embryo nearly apical; eophyll undivided, lanceolate. nx = 18.
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