Rhizome long-scandent, brown, 1-2 mm ø, the older parts loosely scaly; scales honey-coloured, triangular to lanceolate with concave base, there with ± protruding cell-walls, to 2 mm long, to c. 20-seriate at base, the apex scarcely or not uniseriate. Leaves not close, to c. 10 cm apart; petioles stramineous to medium brown, adaxially grooved, abaxially terete, or above obtusely bi-angular, 8-20 cm long, mostly shorter than the lamina. Lamina bipinnate, occasionally simply pinnate fertile leaves also present, rarely the whole plant with simply pinnate leaves, broadly oblong, 15-60 cm long, with 1-7 pinnae to a side and a conform, often very large terminal one; primary rachis stramineous, abaxially often ± pronounced-ly bi-angular. Pinnae mostly little ascending, alternate or the basal ones subopposite, sessile, not close, 10-20 cm long, 1.75-3 cm wide, acuminate; secondary rachises abaxially bi-angular and flat or shallowly sulcate almost to base. Pinnules c. 20-25 to a side, herbaceous, medium to dark or olivaceous green when dry, regularly spaced, close, spreading, approximately trapezoidal or rarely subligulate or semi-ovate, the larger ones 10-15 by 5-7 mm, 2-2.5 times as long as wide, mostly narrowed from base to apex, the apex narrowed-rounded or subtruncate, outer margin distinct or broadly rounded into the upper margin; upper/outer margin sinuate to shallowly crenate, the incisions less than 1 mm deep, not reaching to the level of the receptacle (rarely slightly beyond), the lobes very broadly rounded, l.5-2 mm wide. One or two basal pinnules slightly reduced; upper pinnules gradually and strongly reduced, some denticuliform ones confluent with the narrow, caudiform terminal segment, or rarely much less reduced. Pinnules of juvenile plants deeply incised. Veins immersed, evident, mostly once forked, free except if loop-connected by the receptacle. Sori 4-12 per pinnule, on (1-)2 (-4) vein-ends; indusium ovate, transversely oblong to linear, 0.15-0.4 mm wide, not reaching the margin by 1.5-3 times its width, reflexed, concealed, often evanescent at maturity. Spores very pale, trilete, smooth, c. 25 μ.
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