Stems erect or ascending. Leaves monomorphic, arching or erect, 2--8 dm; bulblets absent. Petiole 1/5--1/3 length of leaf; scales light brown, abruptly diminishing in size distally, falling off early distally. Blade lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 1-pinnate-pinnatifid, base slightly narrowed. Pinnae oblong to lanceolate to falcate, shallowly to deeply divided, pinnae overlapping or not, in 1 plane, 2--10 cm; base oblique, acroscopic auricle lobed; margins not incised to costae, serrulate-spiny with teeth ascending; apex acute-attenuate, subapical and apical teeth same size (southern form) or obtuse and cuspidate with subapical teeth smaller than apical teeth (northern form); microscales filiform, dense abaxially, sparse adaxially. Indusia ciliate. Spores brown. 2 n = 164.