Palm-like, dioecious, low-growing plant with trunk to 6 inches high or wholly underground; leaves 2-4 feet long, pinnae in 2-13 pairs, linear to lanceolate or oblong-obovate, margins toothed in the middle, often revolute, petioles prickly; male cones cylindrical, to 4 inches long, often clustered, female cones elongate-ovoid, to 5 inches long, the exterior faces of the ends of the scales hexagonal, horizontally elongated.