This is a spectacular species that gets quite large. It is a clustering palm where stems are short and stout, and may appear stemless. Leaves are glossy green above and silvery green beneath, undivided at the apex tip of the leaves. Leaves are ascending, stiff and little arched with spiny petioles. The blade is usually V-shaped and deeply grooved surfaces due to the margin of the fused pinnate segments. The inflorescence arise from within the leaves and the fruit is pink. It's a truly stunning palm which is slowly becoming more common in cultivation.