This is a solitary, medium-sized palm with a stout, upright trunk that often retains old leaf bases when young, giving it a rugged, textured appearance. The trunk eventually becomes cleaner and lightly ringed with age, supporting a bold, open crown. Its pinnate leaves are arching and strongly recurved, with stiff, narrow leaflets that give the crown a distinctly wild and windswept look. The inflorescences emerge among the leaves and produce clusters of small flowers that mature into oval fruits. When ripe, the fruits turn yellow to orange and are a valuable food source for wildlife in its native range.