An erect, small, low growing palm. Stems often clustered, 0.3-3.5 m tall, 20-25 cm in diameter. Usually clothed with remains of petiole. Leaves subglaucous, leaflets interruptedly fascicled along the rachis, not prominently scaly beneath but with deciduous pale scales and persistent linear brown scales on midrib beneath, 25-55 cm long and 2.0 cm broad. Peduncle elongating in fruits to 90 cm. Male flowers c. 8 mm long, petals blunt; female flowers with calyx half as long as corolla, lobes very small, petals with short central lobe. Fruit 1.2-1.75 cm long and 5-12 mm broad, oblong, orange when ripe, edible. Seeds woody.