This is a solitary pinnate palm with a stout gray trunk that becomes ringed with prominent leaf scars as it matures. This species is endemic to only a few valleys in the inter-Andean mountain range. It can only be found between 1,700 to 2,500 m above sea level. It has a broad crown of gracefully arching pinnate leaves. The leaves are long and plumose in appearance, with narrow leaflets arranged in slightly irregular planes that give the crown a soft, feathery texture and a blue-green to gray-green coloration. The inflorescences emerge among the leaves and produce numerous small yellowish flowers, later developing into clusters of oval fruits. The fruits ripen yellow to orange and resemble small coconuts, a characteristic that inspired the genus name Parajubaea, meaning “near Jubaea.”This species is becoming quite rare in habitat, due to its small native range and exploitation for commercial purposes.