This is a relatively recently discovered solitary fan palm, representing the only species of its genus. The trunk is upright and slender, remaining relatively narrow for the height of the palm and typically free of persistent leaf bases. At the top of the trunk is a compact crown of large, circular fan leaves, each held on long, unarmed petioles that elevate the leaf blades well above the trunk. The inflorescences emerge among the leaves, with separate male and female flowers produced on different plants, as this species is dioecious. Fruits are fleshy and rounded, containing a large seed enclosed in a distinctive, flanged inner shell that is unique among palms. This species is endemic to northeastern Madagascar, occurs in very limited and fragmented populations, and is considered endangered due to habitat loss and harvesting pressures.