Rhizomes erect or ascending; scales bicolorous, brown with lighter margins, lanceolate. Fronds clustered. Stipe chestnut-colored to black, lustrous, 10-22 cm, scaly at base. Lamina pentagonal or ovate-pentagonal, 5-13 × 5-10 cm, 3-pinnatifid, papery or somewhat leathery when dry, adaxially glabrous; rachis and costae of same color as stipe. Pinnae 3-5 pairs, opposite; basal pair largest, 3-5 × 2-4 cm, right-triangular; pinnules 3 or 4 pairs, proximal basiscopic pinnule largest, 2-2.5 cm × 5-10 mm, oblong-lanceolate, pinnatifid or simple; other pairs gradually shortened distally, lanceolate, 1-pinnatifid or simple; ultimate segments deltoid or falcate. Veins pinnate, obscure. Sori consisting of 3 to several sporangia, confluent at maturity. False indusia continuous, yellowish green, membranous, margins entire. 2n = 116.
