Editing Rhapidophyllum (section)

== Description ==
The needle palm assumes a shrublike clumping form with several stems growing from a single base, the stems growing very slowly and tightly together, eventually forming a dense base {{convert|1|-|1.2|m|ft|abbr=on}} tall, with numerous sharp needle-like spines produced between the leaves; these are {{convert|10|-|25|cm|in|abbr=on}} long and protect the stem growing point from browsing animals. The whole plant can reach {{convert|2|-|3|m|ft|abbr=on}} tall to the top of the erect central leaves.

It is a fan palm ([[Arecaceae]], subfamily [[Coryphoideae]]), with the [[leaf|leaves]] with a long [[Petiole (botany)|petiole]] terminating in a rounded fan of 8–16 leaflets; each leaf is up to {{convert|2|m|ft|abbr=on}} long, with the leaflets up to {{convert|60|-|80|cm|in|abbr=on}} long. The [[flower]]s are borne in dense, short clusters at the top of the stems; it is usually [[plant sexuality|dioecious]] with male and female flowers on separate plants. The [[fruit]] is a brown [[drupe]] about {{convert|2|cm|in|abbr=on}} long.<ref>[http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=220011536 Flora of North America, Vol. 22 Page 101, ''Rhapidophyllum hystrix'' (Pursh) H. Wendland & Drude, Bot. Zeitung (Berlin). 34: 803. 1876. ]</ref>