Rhizomes short, thick, erect, sometimes forming small trunks. Stipes 10-35 cm long, densely scaly; scales broad, shiny, with dark brown centres and pale borders. Rachises densely covered in narrow uniformly pale orange-brown scales, bearing 1-2 (rarely more) bulbils near the apices. Laminae narrowly ovate or narrowly oblong, 2-pinnate at base, 20-85 × 6-30 cm. Primary pinnae in 25-35 pairs, narrowly triangular, the longest 3-15 × 1-2.5 cm, rarely bearing bulbils near apices. Secondary pinnae in 5-18 pairs, stalked, ± elliptic but with large basal acroscopic lobe; margins crenate, sharply toothed. Sori round, protected by uniformly pale brown peltate indusia.