Rhizome long-creeping or pendulous, sparsely branching, 1.5-4.5 mm thick, in cross-section without or with few scattered sclerified strands, very strongly white waxy, fronds scattered, roots with distinct unbranched parts. Scales deciduous, exposing the rhizome in older parts, peltate, (3-)5-15(-18) by (0.3-)0.4-0.9(-1.2) mm, usually widest above the attachment, squarrose, reddish brown, margin entire or more or less densely set with sessile glands, acumen attenuated, long filiform apex. Fronds monomorphic; phyllopodia distinct, (0.3-)0.8-4(-5.7) cm high, stipe (0.3-)0.5-3.5(-4.5) cm long, often with dark coloration on abaxial side; lamina to (4.5-)15-40(-58) by 1-4(-6) cm, widest in middle part, base attenuate to cuneate, sometimes rounded, rarely truncate, sometimes asymmetric, apex acuminate or up to 3 cm caudate, texture membranous to coriaceous, both sides sparsely to densely set with catenate hairs to c. 0.5 mm long; costa on lower surface often with dark-coloration, on both surfaces with scales, scales on lower surface often abundant, to 6(-11) by 1(-1.2) mm, pale to dark brown, on upper surface scarce, inconspicuous. Sori inframedial, leaving a distinct 1-4 mm wide sterile zone between costa and soral zone, sometimes as much as 12 mm from costa, indusium firm, to 1 mm wide, hairy. Sporangial stalk with glands below the sporangium. Spores with an irregular mesh-like network of up to 10 µm high folds, finely papillose with spinules up to c. 4 by 1 µm, perispore baculate, outer layer much perforated.
Epiphytic, epilithic, or less commonly terrestrial (> 1500 m), climbing or sprawling among bryophytes and other epiphytes, or pendulous from mossy tree branches; commonly collected from mossy forest. Altitude to 600 m (Marquesas and Tahiti) or 1000-3000 m above sea level.
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