This is a striking solitary palm endemic to the humid forests of southeastern Madagascar, where it grows in a remarkably restricted natural range.  Its sturdy gray trunk supports a graceful canopy of arching pinnate leaves whose evenly arranged leaflets create a refined, feathery appearance. It is uncommon in cultivation, largely because of its limited distribution in the wild and the scarcity of seed entering horticulture.  The inflorescences emerge among the leaves and branch several times, bearing numerous small cream-colored flowers. As a dioecious species, individual palms produce either male or female flowers. Successful pollination results in attractive rounded fruits that mature from green to bright red before eventually darkening with age. These colorful fruit clusters provide ornamental interest while also serving as a food source for wildlife in Madagascar's rapidly diminishing forests.  The specific epithet krociana honors Ray Kroc, founder of McDonald's Corporation, whose philanthropic support helped fund the Madagascar Palm Project at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, during which the species was discovered and later described.