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Rhizome short-creeping; lvs 3–7.5 dm, the green petiole a fourth to two-fifths as long as the blade; blade pinnate, 5–12 cm wide, lance-linear, acuminate, not reduced at base; pinnae alternate, 20–35 pairs, linear-oblong, acute, sharply auricled at the upper base, dark green and scaleless above, paler and with hair-like scales beneath; fertile upper pinnae abruptly smaller; sori commonly in 2 rows on each side of the midrib; indusium thick, entire, blackish when dry; 2n=82. Woods and open thickets; N.S. to Wis., s. to Fla., Tex., and Mex. A hybrid with no. 2 [Polystichum lonchitis (L.) Roth] is P. ×hagenahii Cody.
A fern. It grows 45-60 cm high and spreads 45-60 cm wide. It has a tufted rhizome. It has long narrow fronds which are divided into leaflets along the stalk. There fronds are 30-90 cm long and there are up to 50 leaflets on each side. These leaflets are oblong with a lobe near the base on the upper surface. The spore bodies or sori are small and on much reduce leaflets at the tips of the fronds.
