Plants 30-45 cm tall. Rhizome erect, densely covered with lanceolate blackish brown scales. Stipe stramineous, ca. 25 cm, 3-4 mm in diam. at base, lower portion densely scaly; scales blackish brown, ovate or lanceolate, dentate, often twisted. Lamina oblong-lanceolate, up to 50 × 20 cm, base not contracted, 1-imparipinnate, apex obtuse; rachis with lanceolate to linear blackish brown scales. Lateral pinnae 8-10 pairs, slightly ascendant, shortly stalked, basal pairs not contracted, remaining pinnae ovate or suboblong; basal pinnae up to 10 × 8 cm, base rounded-cuneate to cuneate and often symmetrical, margins undulate or subentire, 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 entire.
