This palm is a fairly tall, solitary tree, with long leaves extending from the trunk. The stems are heavily ringed with leaf scars, formed by the loss of leaves, and bear black spines on younger plants (2). The leaves can reach up to two metres in length; they have a crinkled appearance due to the prominent veins (2), and are split at the ends with orange-edged serrations (3). The leaf stalks themselves may be up to half a metre long and are also armed with black spines (2). Both male and female flowers are borne on the same tree on an inflorescence that emerges below the crown (2). Small, oval fruits develop, which are orange in colour and may be up to 1.5 cm long (3). A palm growing in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in 1857 was stolen, giving rise to the common name of 'thief palm' (2).
- Height: up to 15 m (2)
- Leaf length: up to 2 m (2)