 It also occurs on the Tiwi Islands and the Cobourg Peninsula

The stems reach 3 m (rarely 6 m) tall, with a diameter of 5–11 cm.The leaves are (very unusually for a cycad) deciduous in the dry season (though persistent if grown in moister situations), 55–90 cm long, slightly keeled or flat, pinnate with 100-220 leaflets; the leaflets densely orange-pubescent at first, then glossy bright green above, light green below, 5.5–14 cm long and 4.5–8 mm wide, angled forward at 40 degrees.Mature plants have around 50 leaves in the crown.