Nephrolepis brownii (Desv.) Hovenkamp & Miyam.

Habit, rhizome morphology. Plants forming tufts of 5 or 6 fronds. Runners often forming stilts supporting the upright rhizome, 1.5-2.5 mm thick, branching angle divaricate. Scales on runners sparse, appressed or spreading. Tubers absent. Fronds 70-130 by 10-12 cm, stipe 14-37 cm long. Lamina base more or less strongly reduced, tapering over 25-35 cm, basal pinnae 1.5-2 cm long, 2-5 cm distant, middle pinnae straight or slightly falcate. Sterile pinnae 6 by 1.4 cm, base slightly to strongly unequal, basiscopic base rounded or cordate, acroscopic base truncate, strongly auricled (usually with a narrow auricle), margin in basal part entire or crenate, apex acute. Fertile pinnae 5.5-7 by 0.9 cm, with more distinctly serrate margin than the sterile pinnae. Indument. Basal scales peltate, appressed, 3.5 by 1.3 mm, central part dark brown or blackish, shining, hyaline margin wide, distinct, marginal glands absent, margin in basal part ciliate, acumen ciliate. Rhachis scales dense, spreading, hyaline or light brown, with a well-developed protracted entire or ciliate acumen (ciliate in the lower part). Scales on lamina usually persistent, often also persistent on upper surface. Hairs on lamina absent, on costa constantly present. Sori marginal or submarginal (rarely), 25-27 pairs on fully fertile pinnae, round. Indusium reniform, with narrow sinus, attached at sinus.