Erect, later climbing coarse looping spiny climbing palm or tree to 20m. Leaves 1.8m long, segments armed with spines, segments to 700mm x 40mm. Green sheaths densely beset with flattened spines to 40mm x 3mm, cirrus to 3m long. Leaf-opposed inflorescence, spiny bracts to 250mm long, inner ones yellowish, outer ones grey, flowers similar colour covered in scurfy powder, male spadix to 350mm with 2 spathes, male flower 5mm x 2.5mm with calyx to 3mm & longer corolla, female spadix similar to 500mm long covered in spines, female rachillae to 80mm long with 65-7 flowers each side, female flower to 6mm long with calyx as male. Green nuts to 23mm diameter x 17mm.
Cane for making baskets chair frames, tying fences & bridges