Rhizome 2-3 mm diameter; aerial shoot robust, dichotomously branched 1-many times in the upper part; decurrent leaf base forming a prominent wing particularly in the lower part of the stem; leaves 1-2 per cm of stem, (2.5)3-4(-4.2) cm long, (6-) 7-9 mm broad towards the proximal end, falcate or broad lanceolate, majority of apices acute.

Rhizoma 2-3 mm diam; surculus aerius robustus, dichotome, semel ad multoties ramosus, in parte supero, praecipue in parte infero basi folii decurrenti alam prominentem facienti; folia falcata ad late lanceolata, apicibus plerumque acutis, 1 vel 2 per 1 cm longitudinem surculi, (2.5-) 3-4(-4.2) cm longa, versus extremitate proximale (6-)7-9 mm lata.

Rhizome: brittle, dichotomously branched, 1-2 mm diameter, covered with dark brown rhizoids, but often lost in herbarium specimens. Aerial shoot: simple, pendulous, (4-)8-12(-20) cm long; sporophylls spirally arranged, leaves distichously arranged; maturing in one growing season and terminating in a large appendage slightly shorter, equal to, or longer than the largest leaves developed. Leaves: 2-3 per cm of stem, sub-coriaceous to coriaceous, margin often thickened; dorsiventral, the "upper" surface shiny or glossy deep green, the "lower" surface dull green covered with stomata; shape ovate to ovate-oblong, apex acute or sometimes ± obtuse, mucro short, thick, 1-1.5 mm long; (0.6-) 0.9-1.18 (-2.5) cm long (excl. mucro), (2-) 3-6 (-8) mm broad. Sporophylls: (3-) 4-5 (-6) per cm of stem usually restricted to the lower half of the shoot although in small specimens they may occur throughout. Synangium: small 2-4 mm long; 1-2 mm high at point of attachment; lobes equal or the proximal one slightly smaller ± globular, yellowish brown at maturity, persistent. Spores: pale yellow released in a mass, anisopolar, bilateral, monolete, foveolate, concavo-convex, (50-) 59 (-72) mcm long, (17-) 24 (-30) mcm broad (longitudinal plane). See Figs 3, 6, 9, Table 1.

Rhizome: dichotomously branched many times, (1-) 1.5-2 mm diameter, slightly restricted at the branch junctions, covered with dark brown rhizoids 1-2 mm long, often lost in herbarium specimens. Aerial shoot: maturing in one season and terminating in an appendage similar to the largest leaves developed; simple, pendulous, (6-) 9-20 (-27) cm long; leaves and sporophylls spirally arranged. Leaves: (4-) 5-7 (-9) per cm of stem, subcoriaceous, sigmoid or narrow oblong with the distal end incurved; weakly dorsiventral or isobilateral, deep green, shiny, stomata distributed over both surfaces, but often unequally; (1-) 1.3-1.7 (-2.1) cm long (excl. mucro), (2-) 2.5-3.5 (-3.8) mm broad for most of the length, but tapering slightly towards the base and apex; apex truncate, obtuse in some New Caledonian forms; mucro pronounced, setaceous, 2-4 mm long. Sporophylls: (5-) 7-9 (-11) per cm of stem, produced in regular or irregular zones throughout, or restricted to the upper part of the shoot, slightly shorter or equal in length to the leaves. Synangium: small, 2-3 mm long, 1.5-2 mm high at the point of attachment; lobes unequal, often markedly so, the proximal one smaller, yellowish brown at maturity, brown when old. persistent. Spores: pale yellow, anisopolar, monolete, subgranulate, concavo-convex, (57-) 69 (-77) mcm long, (20-) 25 (-33) mcm broad (longitudinal plane). See Figs 4, 7, 8, 9, Table 1.

Rhizoma multum dichotomum, 2 mm diam.; surculus aerius simplex pendulus 10-24 cm longus folio magno terminatus; folia sigmoidea 1-2 cm longa 2-4 mm lata plerumque truncata vel emarginata mucrone setaceo 2-3.5 mm longo; sporophylla longitudine folia subaequantia; synangium parvum 2-3 mm longum sporangiis lobiis manifeste inaequalibus; sporae bilaterales, monoletae, subgranulatae (57-) 69 (-77) mcm longae.

Rhizome: dichotomously branched, brittle, 2-3.5 mm diameter, covered with dark brown rhizoids which are often absent from herbarium specimens. Aerial shoot: developing over one to many years, but eventually terminating in a small appendage 0.1-0.5 times the length of the largest leaves, simple, erect, suberect, or pendulous, (5-)20-80(-120) cm long, triangular in cross-section, leaves and sporophylls spirally arranged. Leaves: (3-) 5-6(-7) per cm of stem, coriaceous, brittle, one surface deep green and shiny occasionally with a few stomata towards the proximal end, other surface dull green covered with stomata; shape variable often on same shoot, oblong, lanceolate, falcate, or ovate, (0.6-)1-2(-3) cm long (excl. mucro), (2.5-) 4-6 (-9) mm broad; apex of leaf very variable often on the same plant, acute, obtuse to truncate, mucronate; mucro 1-2 mm long. Sporophylls: developed in regular or irregular zones or throughout most of the shoot except for the lowermost part, equal to or slightly shorter than the leaves; 5-7 per cm of shoot. Synangium: 4-8 mm long, 1.5-2.5 mm high at point of attachment, biconic, persistent. Spores: yellow, released in a mass, anisopolar, bilateral, monolete, foveolate, concavo-convex, (67-)79 (-92) ,mcm long, (27-)37(-45) mcm broad (longitudinal plane). See Figs 1, 5, 9, Table 1.