This is a solitary, heavily armed palm with a stout trunk densely covered in long, black needle-like spines that provide formidable protection from herbivores. The trunk rises upright from the forest floor and supports a full crown of large pinnate leaves with dark green leaflets arranged in a graceful arching form typical of the genus. Emerging among the leaves, the inflorescence produces clusters of small cream to yellow flowers that later develop into rounded fruits with a fibrous outer layer and a hard seed inside. The species was discovered in Colombia by palm taxonomist Juan Carlos Copete during botanical exploration of regions that had long remained inaccessible to researchers. Its species name, pax, meaning “peace” in Latin, commemorates the peace agreement that allowed scientists to safely explore these forests and document new plant species.