Plants 30-60 cm tall. Rhizome erect, densely covered with lanceolate blackish brown scales. Stipe stramineous, 16-38 cm, 3-4 mm in diam. at base, lower portion densely scaly; scales blackish brown, ovate or lanceolate, dentate, often twisted. Lamina oblong-ovate or narrowly oblong, 28-54 × 10-30 cm, base not contracted or slightly wider, 1-imparipinnate, apex obtuse; rachis with lanceolate to linear blackish brown scales. Lateral pinnae 3-8 pairs, slightly ascendant, shortly stalked, basal 1 or 2 pairs ovate and often larger, remaining pinnae oblong-ovate; middle pinnae 12-20 × 4-7 cm, base broadly cuneate or rounded-cuneate, margins entire, sometimes distal margins serrulate, apex acuminate or acute and shortly caudate; terminal pinna ovate or rhombic-ovate, forked or trifurcate, 10-16 × 10-12 cm; hard papery, sometimes with sparse lanceolate brown microscales abaxially, glabrous adaxially; venation pinnate, slightly raised abaxially, indistinct adaxially, veinlets anastomosing to form multiple rows of areoles. Sori throughout abaxial surface of pinnae; indusia margins entire.
