Stems compact, erect to ascending, with a few persistent petiole bases of unequal lengths; scales often uniformly brown but at least some bicolored with dark central stripe and pale brown margins, narrowly lanceolate. Leaves 5--25 × 1.5--6 cm. Petiole light brown or straw-colored throughout when mature, occasionally darker at very base, not articulate above base, relatively brittle and easily shattered. Blade narrowly lanceolate to ovate, pinnate-pinnatifid to 2-pinnate proximally, sparsely to moderately glandular, never viscid; glandular hairs with thin stalks and slightly expanded tips; rachis with glandular hairs and occasional hairlike scales. Pinnae ovate-deltate to elliptic, longer than wide, abruptly tapered to a rounded or broadly acute apex, occasionally attenuate; largest pinnae with 4--9 pairs of pinnules; abaxial and adaxial surfaces glandular, lacking nonglandular hairs or scales. Pinnules dentate, often shallowly lobed; margins lustrous adaxially, usually thickened, lacking cilia but sparsely glandular, with occasional 1--2-celled translucent projections. Vein tips enlarged to form whitish hydathodes visible adaxially. Indusia of relatively broad segments; segments multiseriate most of length, usually divided and uniseriate distally, composed of ± isodiametric cells, often surpassing mature sporangia. Spores averaging 43--49 µm. 2 n = 152.
Home