Plant dwarf, branching freely from the parent rootstock forming small clumps; stems subterranean or very occasionally up to about 30 cm above ground with a total length of 35 cm rarely up to 50 cm, 13-18 cm diam. with short lanate bracts. Leaves 30-50 cm long including petiole 5-15 cm long, loosely greyish tomentose with villous leafÂlets, glabrescent except for base of petiole and pulvinus; rhachis usually somewhat recurved and sometimes slightly twisted toÂwards apex; leaflets glaucous when young, in V disposition above the middle of the rhachis and sometimes slightly overlapping, set parallel or only slightly angled to the rhachis, pungent, entire; median leaflets 9-13 cm long, 4-6 mm broad, finely about 9-nerved on the under surface. Cones single on a stem, densely greyish tomentose on exÂposed face. Male cones 15-20 cm long, 4-5 cm broad, narrowed slightly to base and apex with peduncle up to about 12 cm long; meÂdian scales about 1 • 5 cm long and 2 cm broad, 1 • 5-1 • 75 cm thick vertically, with lateral angles acute; bulla face very little projected, with terminal facet occupying almost whole area, hidden by tomentum. Female cones barrel-shaped, about 27 cm long, 9 cm diam., on short peduncle about 3 cm long; median scale 3 • 5-4 cm long, 4-5 cm broad, 2-2 • 5 cm thick vertically; bulla with lateral ridges exÂtending into the lateral incurved lobes about 5-10 mm long, rugose on basal glabrous part; bulla face nearly flat, upper and lower facets rounded, terminal facet about 1 • 5 cm broad and 1 cm wide vertically, sometimes extendÂing nearly to lower margin. Seeds orange-yellow, angled by compression, 2-5-3 cm long, 2-2 • 5 cm broad.
