Stem subterranean or with crown exÂposed, usually unbranched, up to about 30 cm long and 20 cm diam., with woolly bracts. Leaves 3-7 in a whorl, 60-120 cm long inÂcluding slender petiole 10-30 cm long; rha-chis erect or slightly recurving with silky and woolly off-white tomentum, glabrescent exÂcept for pulvinus; leaflets thinly pubescent at first, glabrescent, reduced in size abruptly near apex of leaf and gradually towards base but rarely to a prickle; median leaflets linear-lanceolate, pungent, 7-8 cm long, 9-11 mm broad, occasionally in shade up to 12 cm long and 1*5 cm broad, usually with 1-3 teeth on lower margin, rarely entire. Cones solitary on short stout peduncle, pale olive-green turning yellow. Male cones more or less cylindric, 20-25 cm long, 4 • 5-6 cm diam.; median scales 2 • 5-2 • 8 cm long, 2 • 2-2 • 5 cm broad, 1-4-1-5 cm thick vertically, laterally angled; bulla face projecting in a subcylindric beak 7-8 mm long with the terminal facet only faintly indicated except for lower margin which is acute, decurved and sometimes slightÂly overlapping scale below. Female cones ovate-oblong in outline about 23 cm long, 10 cm diam.; median scales about 5 cm long, 4-5 cm broad and 3 cm thick vertically, laterally ridged and extended into incurved lobes about 5 mm long; bulla face only slightly projecting with upper facet humped, terminal facet faintly defined on upper mar- gin, lower margin acute decurved and someÂtimes slightly overlapping scale below. Seed scarlet, 2*7-3 cm long, 2 cm diam.
