This is a solitary, heavily armored palm with a tall trunk densely covered in long, black spines that provide protection from herbivores. The crown consists of large pinnate leaves that arch gracefully, with leaflets arranged in a slightly irregular pattern typical of many species of this genus. The leaves are deep green above and lighter beneath, and the petioles and leaf bases are also lined with formidable spines. The palm produces branched inflorescences among the leaves that carry both male and female flowers. These develop into rounded fruits that ripen to yellow-orange and contain a hard seed.
This palm is economically and culturally important throughout the Amazon, where Indigenous communities harvest fibers from the young leaves to produce rope, hammocks, fishing nets, bags, and textiles. The fiber—known as chambira—is one of the most widely used natural palm fibers in the region.