Stipe varying much in length according to habi-tat (extremes 10 cm, 70 cm), dark, glossy, with hairs in groove only, at base often bearing a tangled mass of slender hairs which are glossy golden brown when dry; scales narrow, varying with size of frond; rachis also dark throughout. Lamina varying from 10 cm long (type of D. villosipes) to 65 cm (specimen from Atjeh); pinnae 15 pairs on small plants, to 30 pairs on large ones, texture always thick, rigid when dry; nearly all pinnae distinctly stalked; basal pinnae sometimes a little reduced, little narrowed at base, basal acroscopic lobe free or nearly so. Largest pinnae commonly 5-6 x 1.2-1.5 cm (extremes 1.7x0.5, 8x2 cm), lobed to about 1 mm from costa; lobes entire or nearly so, deciduously eiliate on edges; costules less than 2 mm apart on small plants, 3-3.5 mm on large ones; veins commonly 4-5 pairs (extremes 2 and 6 pairs), sometimes grooved on both sides; lower surfaces usually quite glabrous apart from hair-like scales on costae and costules (a few acicular hairs on costae of type of D. linearis, Fig. 4h); upper surface of rachis and costae bearing rigid dark brown hairs. Sori near costules; indusia glabrous, sporangia sometimes bearing 2-3 slender non-glandular hairs on their stalks.
In mossy forest at 1400-2500 m, usually in moss cushions, several times reported in moss cushions on tree-branches. The largest specimen seen, from Atjeh, was an epiphyte. The slender hairs at base of stipes resemble root-hairs, and perhaps have the same function, absorbing water from moss-cushions.
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