Rhizome short, erect to oblique, densely clad in ferruginous ovate-attenuate paleae; emitting slender paleate stolons, sts bearing small "tubers", producing offset plants. Stipites tufted. Stipes 3-10-(15) cm. × 2-3 mm., stout, brown, with attenuate paleae and hairs. Rhachis stout, red-brown, densely to sparsely clad in red-brown paleae and hairs, often ± hidden by basal lobes of pinnae. Lamina linear-lanceolate, dark to rather pale green, membr. to subcoriac., 20-50-(90) × 2-5-(10)cm. Pinnae close-set, very ∞; lower pinnae reduced, us. sterile, increasing to 2 × 1 cm., oblong, obtuse; mid-pinnae, us. fertile, up to 2 cm. × 5 mm., patent, oblong, obtuse, sub-cordately lobed at base; margins ± crenulate; upper pinnae gradually decreasing to acute apex. Veinlets forking at about 1/2 way. Sori about lunulate, dorsal, in 2 rows, discrete, 1-2 mm. at greatest diam., up to 30 per pinna. Indusium firm, about lunulate, covering sori till maturity.

2n = 164

Rhizomes small, erect, densely scaly, producing numerous far-creeping runners; runners scaly and usually bearing fleshy tubers. Stipes 5-25 cm long. Stipes and rachises pale brown, brittle, bearing pale brown hair-like scales. Laminae very narrowly elliptic, 40-100 × (4)-5-8 cm, pinnate, erect. Primary pinnae in > 50 pairs, overlapping in middle of frond, more widely spaced at base, the longest 2-4 × 0.4-1 cm, ± glabrous, oblong or narrowly oblong with a basal acroscopic lobe; apices obtuse; margins markedly crenate or serrate. Sori round, in single rows either side of midrib, protected by crescent-shaped indusia.