Stem 2-5 m tall, 10-15 cm in diameter, smooth, grey, cylindrical with a basal mass of stemless rosettes. Leaves green, long, segments almost opposite, equally spaced, rachis yellow; leaflets c. 60 cm long and 2-2.5 cm broad. Crown shaft swollen, yellow-green covered with caducous whitish wax and scales. Inflorescence arching, c. 30 cm long, highly branched, main stalk arising from a tubular bract. Flowers crowded, male flower: sepals 3, petals 3, stamens free, exserted, c. 4 mm long, anthers 2-celled, dorsifixed; pistillode much shorter than stamens. Female flowers small, c. 3 mm in diameter; sepals 3; petals 3, coriaceous. Fruit baccate, dark yellow turning black, c. 1.5 cm long.