This is a clustering, trunked palm that forms dense colonies of upright stems, each armored with formidable spines along the trunk and leaf bases. It has a rugged, fibrous stem surface often obscured by persistent leaf sheaths and spiny coverings. The crown is composed of large, pinnate leaves with a somewhat coarse, rigid appearance, typically deep green, with heavily armed petioles and rachises that make close access challenging. Its inflorescences emerge among the leaf bases and are stout, branched, and well-protected by spines, producing numerous small flowers. The fruit is rounded to ovoid and covered in overlapping scales, giving it a textured, almost reptilian appearance as it matures. Rarely encountered in cultivation, this species is far more often appreciated in habitat due to its size, armament, and specialized growing requirements.