A medium-sized palm that is widely distributed in coastal swamp forest in Southeast Asia. It produces a small clump of slender stems that carry large, circular leaves, split to the base into a few broad segments. An easily grown and attractive palm for tropical and subtropical climates.

Licuala paludosa is an evergreen palm producing a tight cluster of unbranched stems up to 7 metres tall and 5 – 7cm in diameter. Each stem is topped by a crown of 9 – 10 fan-shaped leaves each 100 – 150cm wide on petioles 100 – 250cm long
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use of its leaves.
The conversion of large areas of peat swamp forests in Borneo is a great threat to this species. The process is still continuing. Based on current records, its area of occupancy is less than 50 km2. The species can be considered Endangered.