This is a clustering, climbing rattan palm that produces multiple slender, flexible stems armed with formidable spines. Instead of forming a self-supporting trunk, this species relies on surrounding vegetation, using hooked spines and elongated leaf extensions to scramble upward through the forest canopy. The leaves are pinnate and gracefully arching, but closely defended with sharp spines along the petioles, rachis, and leaf margins, giving the plant a rugged, almost prehistoric appearance. Long, branching inflorescences emerge from the leaf axils, weaving through the foliage and adding to the plant’s wild, untamed look. The fruits are small and rounded, typically maturing to a darker hue and contributing to the ecological role this palm plays in its native forests.  The species has a variety of commercial uses.