Stem subterranean or sometimes with crown slightly exposed, usually unbranched with thick tuberous root, up to about 30 cm long and 20-25 cm diam., with densely woolly interseriate bracts. Leaves 1-2 m long, inÂcluding petiole 10-30 cm long, suberect, woolly at first except on upper surface of leaflets, glabrescent; rhachis nearly straight, sometimes spreading-recurved in shade, 7-12 mm thick towards base; leaflets light green when young, soon becoming dark green, spaced about 1 cm apart with the bases inÂserted on the rhachis more or less along a straight line, twisted near the base like a half-open Venetian-blind, reduced in size towards base of rhachis but not reduced to a series of prickles; median leaflets linear, tapering to apex, 10-20 cm long, rarely upto 30 cm, 8-15 mm broad with apex pungent and usually with 1-2 prickles on upper margin and 1-3 on lower margin. Cones 1-3 together, peduncuÂlate, olive-green turning to sulphur-yellow, glabrous. Male cones subcylindric, tapering slightly to apex, up to about 30 cm long, 6-8 cm diam. with peduncles 10-12 cm long, 2 • 5-3 cm thick; median scales about 5 cm long, 2-2-4 cm broad, 1-1-2 cm thick vertically, with acute lateral ridges; bulla face with the upper facet humped or ridged, the lower facet slightly rounded, terminal facet rhomÂboid, 8-12 mm broad and 6-9 mm wide verÂtically. Female cones on peduncles about 15 cm long and 3 • 5 cm diam., up to 30 cm long, 12 cm diam.; median scales up to about 5 cm long and broad and 3 cm thick vertically, with acute lateral ridges; bulla face with upper facet with 1-2 sagittal ridges, lower facet slightly rounded and inconspicuous, terminal facet rhomboid, 1 • 3-2 cm broad and about the same vertically, somewhat below centre of bulla face or occasionally extending nearly to lower margin. Seed scarlet, about 3 • 5 cm long, 2 cm thick, angled by compression. Figs. 9a and 9b.
