Plants 30-50 cm tall. Rhizome ascending, short, ca. 1 cm in diam., apex with brownish black scales. Fronds clustered, monomorphic or somewhat dimorphic; sterile fronds shorter than fertile fronds; stipe light straw-colored, 15-20 cm (stipes of sterile fronds shorter), 1-2 mm in diam., smooth or ± rough, glabrous, angulate; lamina 1-pinnate, oblong-ovate in outline, 20-30 × 10-15 cm; pinnae (2-)4-6 pairs, opposite, 5-7 cm apart near base of frond, very decumbent, basal pair shortly stalked, often 3-or 4-forked; upper pairs sessile, often 2-4-forked, seldom simple; terminal pinna 2-or 3-forked, rarely simple and shortly stalked; pinnules linear, 10-20 × (0.2-)0.3-0.4 cm (sterile segments broader), base broadly cuneate and slightly oblique, sterile margins slightly serrulate, fertile margins entire, apex long acuminate. Lamina gray-green, papery when dried, glabrous on both surfaces; midvein prominent on both sides, pale straw-colored; veins conspicuous, slightly inflexed, spreading, simple or forked. Sori narrowly linear; indusia brown, linear, membranous, entire.