Stems many, grouped, 90-120 cm tall, girth up to 8 cm, densely covered by the leaf-sheath and coarse fibre. Leaves about 30 cm across, green on both surfaces, palmately divided almost to the base into 6-9 segments, segments uniformly curving or drooping, broad at apex, hastula fibrous, petiole c. 20 cm long. Base of leaf stalk provided with a sheath, sheath fibrous, dark chocolate in colour, covering the stem. Flowers yellowish, sessile. Male flower with calyx 3-toothed, cupular, corolla 3-lobed, stamens 6 and rudiments of carpels, the female similar but the calyx stalked, carpel separate, short styled. Fruit small, with soft exterior and globose seed with homogeneous endosperm, c. 3 mm across.

Type: Japan. Thunberg 24385, 24386 (UPS).

Distribution: The original home is suspected to be S. China and Indo-China; probably indigenous to E. Indies; rarely cultivated in Pakistan. An excellent house palm.