This is a solitary, medium-sized palm with a slender trunk typically covered in a dense layer of coarse, fibrous leaf remains.  The trunk rises upright and supports a compact, well-balanced crown, giving the palm a tidy and architectural appearance. Its leaves are palmate but unusually deeply divided, with each segment split nearly to the base, creating a distinctive “double-cut” look that sets it apart from most fan palms. The crown is rounded and moderately full, with stiff yet elegant leaves held on long, slender petioles. Inflorescences emerge among the leaves and produce small, rounded fruits that ripen to a dark bluish-black.  This species was only formally described in the early 2000s, following its discovery in a highly isolated region of northern Vietnam near the Chinese border.  It inhabits steep, mossy limestone cloud forests and remains almost unknown in cultivation, with only a handful of plants grown worldwide and ongoing discussion about the authenticity of cultivated material.