Vegetative reproduction by short branching of the rhizome. Rhizome short, erect, or inclined, clad in dark paleae, invested with the bases of fallen stipes. Fertile and sterile fronds dimorphic. Fertile fronds erect; sterile fronds more or less prostrate, smaller, pinnae broader and somewhat shorter. Fronds harsh; mid to dark green; red when young, colour better developed in exposed situations; lamina c. 15-45 cm long. Stipes and raches bearing dark brown scales, which fall with age except at the stipe base; pubescent. Lower and middle pinnae sometimes auriculate, attached to rachis by costae only; upper adnate to decurrent. (18-) 22-30 pairs or subopposite. Terminal pinna 1-3 (-4) cm long (1/9-1/27 of frond length). Longest pinnae 1.5-3 (-5) cm long, 2.5-3 (-4) mm wide. Distance between middle pinnae 4-10 mm (1.6-4 × pinna width); middle pinnae rounded to acute at apex. Sori in one row, rarely fragments of a second row developed, more or less discrete then more or less confluent when mature, sometimes covering midrib. Indusium c. 2 mm long. It differs from D. caudata in the presence of rachis scales and the greater number of pinnae. From D. media ssp. australis it differs in having the middle pinnae not sessile, but attached by the costa.

Reproductio vegetativa brevibus rhizomatis ramificationibus. Rhizoma breve, erectum vel obliquum, paleis fuscis vestitum, basibus stipitum caducorum tectum. Frondes fertiles sterilesque dimorphae. Frondes fertiles erectae; frondes steriles minores plus minusve prostratae, pinnis latioribus parumque brevioribus indutae. Frondes asperae; viridulae vel pervirides; juvenes saepe rubrae, colore in apertis locis clariore facto; lamina c. 15-45 cm longitudine. Stipites rhachidesque fuscas squamas ferentes, quae senescentes praeter squamas ad basim stipitum caducae sunt; pubescentes. Pinnae inferiores mediaeque auriculatae interdum, per solam costam ad rhachim affixae, superiores sessiles vel decurrentes. (18-) 22-30 paribus vel subparibus. Pinna terminalis 1-3 (-4) cm longitudine (1/9-1/27 longitudine frondis). Pinnae longissimae 1.5-3 (-5) cm longitudine, 2.5-3 (-4) mm latitudine. Spatium inter pinnas medias 4-10 mm (1-6-4 × latitudine pinnarum); apices pinnarum mediarum rotundi vel acutati. Son in una serie, raro fragmentis seriei secundae crescentibus; plus minusve discreti, tune plus minusve confluentes ut maturescent, interdum costam pinnae tegentes. Indusium c. 2 mm longitudine. Differt a D. caudata quod adsunt rhachidis squamae et pinnae plures. A D. media ssp. australis differt quod pinnae media non sessiles sunt sed per costam ad rhachim affixae sunt.

Vegetative reproduction by stolons. Rhizome clad in dense black paleae. Fertile and sterile fronds similar. Fronds more or less erect, harsh; lamina 12-26 cm long. Stipes and raches bearing black or dark brown scales which are more persistent at the bases of stipes but are often shed, leaving tubercles; usually glabrescent, rarely pubescent. All pinnae, except occasionally the lowest pair, adnate to the rachis (see Fig. 1a); sometimes the lower, always the middle and upper, decurrent. Pinnae c. 17-32 pairs or subopposite. Terminal pinna 0.7- 2.1 cm long 1/8-1/25 of frond length). Longest pinnae c. 1.5-5.0 cm long, 4-6 mm wide. Distance between middle pinnae 1-5 mm (0.2-1.25 × pinna width). Middle pinnae rounded to acute at apex. Sori in one row on each side of the pinna midrib, sometimes a second row partly to almost completely developed; discrete. Indusium c. 1 mm long, often kidney-shaped; sorus sometimes larger, to 2 mm when mass of sporangia protrudes.

Vegetative reproduction by short branching of the rhizome, but rare in field grown material. Rhizome clad in brown paleae. Fertile and sterile fronds dimorphic. Fertile fronds erect, sterile fronds more or less prostrate, smaller, with pinnae shorter and broader. Fronds more or less submembranous, softer than those of D. media ssp. australis; lamina c. 8-26 cm long. Stipes bearing sparse light brown scales which fall with age. Rachis without scales; pubescent. Lower and middle pinnae almost invariably auriculate, attached to rachis by costae only; upper adnate to decurrent. Pinnae c. 11-20 pairs or subopposite; middle pinnae rounded at apex. Terminal pinna 0.7-2.5 cm long (1/9-1/30 frond length). Longest pinnae 0.8-3.0 (-3.5) cm long; 1.5-3 mm wide. Distance between middle pinnae 5-18 mm (2.5 — 12 × pinna width). Sori in one row, confluent, very rarely discrete when growing in dense shade, sometimes covering not only the midrib but also the entire undersurface of the pinna. Indusium at least 2 mm long, linear.

Vegetative reproduction by stolons or short branching of the rhizome. Rhizome rarely prostrate and creeping; clad in dense black paleae. Fertile and sterile fronds similar to moderately dimorphic. Fronds more or less erect or sterile fronds sometimes inclined to prostrate; harsh; lamina 11-60 cm long. Stipes and raches bearing brown scales which are more persistent at the stipe base but are often shed; pubescent. Lower pinnae attached by costae, sometimes with auricles developed, or very rarely adnate to the rachis as in D. aspera, lowest pair rarely longer than the pairs immediately above them; middle pinnae usually completely, but often partly, adnate, occasionally decurrent, rarely auriculate (see Fig. 1d); upper pinnae adnate to decurrent. Pinnae c. 20-50 pairs or subopposite; middle pinnae rounded, acute or acuminate at apex. Terminal pinna 0.3-5.5 cm long ( (1/3 -) 1/9-- 1/43 of frond length). Longest pinnae 0.5-10 cm long, 2.5-10 mm wide. Distance between middle pinnae 1-8 mm (½-2 × pinna width). Sori in one row, a second row often partly to nearly completely developed; discrete to more or less confluent, sometimes covering pinna midrib. Indusium c. 2 mm long, rarely less, more or less linear.

Differt a D. media ssp. media quod transitio a pinnis costalibus ad pinnas decurrentes gradata est.

Vegetative reproduction by short branching of the rhizome, noted in glasshouse grown material. Rhizome clad in dense black paleae. Fertile and sterile fronds similar; fertile erect to inclined; sterile inclined to prostrate. Fronds not as harsh as D. media ssp. australis, submembranous; never red when young; lamina c. 12-60 cm long. Stipes and raches bearing brown scales which are more persistent at the stipe base but are often shed; sparsely pubescent, sometimes becoming glabrous with age. Lower pinnae attached by costae only or partly adnate to the rachis, lowest pair sometimes longer than pairs immediately above them; middle pinnae adnate, upper decurrent. Pinnae c. 20-44 pairs or subopposite; middle pinnae rounded, acute or acuminate at apex. Terminal pinna 1.5-6 cm long (1/6) (1/9-1/14 frond length). Longest pinnae c. 1.0-15 cm long, 3-15 mm wide. Distance between middle pinnae 1-10 mm (0.3-1.3 × pinna width). Sori in one or two rows, the second row sometimes almost complete on most pinnae; discrete. Indusium c. 2 mm long, usually linear, rarely kidney-shaped.

Vegetative reproduction by short branching of the rhizome. Rhizome clad in dark brown paleae. Fertile and sterile fronds dimorphic. Fertile fronds erect, sterile fronds more or less prostrate, a little smaller, with pinnae broader and somewhat shorter. Fronds softer than those of D. media ssp. australis, submembranous; lamina not or only slightly red when young, the stipes more deeply coloured; lamina 14-45 cm long. Stipes and raches bearing sparse brown scales which fall with age except at the stipe base; not pubescent. Lower and middle pinnae often auriculate, attached to rachis by the costae only or rarely partly adnate; upper adnate to decurrent. Pinnae c. 13-33 pairs or subopposite; middle pinnae acute to acuminate at apex. Terminal pinna 1.5-15.5 cm long (½-1/8 (1/11) frond length). Longest pinnae 1.5-6.0 cm long 1-2 (-3) mm wide. Distance between middle pinnae, 3-12 mm (1.4-6 × pinna width). Sori in one row, sometimes part or most of second row present, discrete to confluent. Indusium c. 2 mm long, linear.