Plants 40-60 cm tall. Rhizome erect, stout, densely scaly; scales of rhizome and lower part of stipe brownish black, subulate, apex fibrillose. Fronds caespitose; stipe stramineous, 15-20 cm, glabrous upward or rarely with scales; lamina ovate, 20-25 × 15-20 cm, once imparipinnate; pinnae 4-8 pairs, oblique, shortly stalked, lanceolate, 10-13 × 1.5-2 cm, base rounded or subcordate, subentire or slightly undulate-dentate, with cartilaginous edges, apex acuminate, terminal pinna like other pinnae. Lamina papery or thinly leathery; rachis and costa sparsely brown, fibrillose scaly abaxially; veins pinnate, lateral veins forked, 3 or 4 in pinnate groups, developed only near margin except distal basal one. Sori irregularly scattered in 2 or 3 rows between costa and pinna margin, developed only near costa; indusia dark brown, reniform, thick, persistent.