Medium-sized palm tree, up to 10 m tall, with distinct nodes. Stem unbranched. Leaves bipinnate, large; leaflets truncate, often cuneiform, dentate at the top. Inflorescence axillary, pendant, with monoecious flowers; spathes several, tubular, imbricate; spadix short, pedunculate, often ramose. Flowers spicate, solitary or in clusters of 3–4; male flowers developing before females, which are subglobose and smaller. Fruit a drupe, globose. Seeds 1–3, subglobose or compressed.

Grows naturally in evergreen forests. Cultivated as an ornamental plant. Propagated mainly by seed sowing and transplanting seedlings to permanent sites.
Heart of palm (core of the upper stem) is served cooked.