spineless, bearing only some fibres along the margins at the base. The petiole is 0.4-0.6 cm wide and flat on top but rounded elsewhere. The rachis is 30–74 cm in length. The 15-29 pinnae (leaflets) on each side of the leaf rachis are linear with an acuminate apex and inserted at a regular distance on the same plane per side of the leaf, so that each pair of pinnae forms a neat 'V'-shape. These pinnae are 13–40 cm long and 0.3-0.8 cm wide in the middle of the rachis. Similarly to B. eriospatha, it has woody spathes (in which the young inflorescence is developing) with the outside surface densely covered in a furry layer of lanate (woolly) tomentose indumentum; these differ from the spathes of that species by the hairs being shorter and darker purplish-brown. The spathe is 33–40 cm in length, with an enlarged part 10–18 cm long and 3.5-4.5 cm wide. The inflorescence is branched and up to 17 cm long. The inflorescence has a 27–32 cm peduncle and a lanceolate prophyll 7–14.5 cm long. The rachis of the inflorescence is 1–7.5 cm long and has 3-18 rachillae (branches) which are 6–12 cm long. The flowers are coloured yellow. The staminate (male) flowers are 5-7mm in length; the pistillate (female) flowers are 4–5mm in length. The shape of the fruit is ellipsoid (like an elongated acorn with a small cap/base, or a rugby ball with one end flat); but shape of the nut is globose (round). The fruit are 1.5–2 cm long by 1–2 cm wide, generally a bit longer than wide, with a juicy flesh. The fruit have been described as coloured brown, or, when ripe, violet or greenish-yellow, and covered in a rusty-coloured fur. The nut is hard, 1.1-1.5 cm in diameter, has 1-2 seeds within, and contains a homogeneous endosperm. Similar species It is easily told apart from other miniature species of Butia by its densely furry spathes, with the hairs being woolly and persistent (not easily rubbed off). With its petioles lacking teeth along the margin it is most similar to B. archeri according to Glassman in 1979, although a number of other dwarf species lacking teeth have been discovered since then. It grows in the same region as the extremely rare B. pubispatha, another dwarf, grass-like species described as a new species in 2010, which also has petioles lacking teeth and furry spathes,