This is a solitary palm with a short and somewhat slender trunk ringed with old leaf scars. It has a dense crown of stiff, circular fan leaves with a bluish gray tint and a waxy-white color. This species is monoecious (flowers are bisexual). The round fruit turns black when ripe. This species has numerous commercial uses including the hard and durable stems for fence posts and leaves woven into hats and baskets.