Rhizome stout, erect, extending into an erect caudex up to 60 cm. or more tall, c. 1-2 cm. diam., including appressed stipe bases; clad in dark linear-attenuate paleae c. 3-5 mm. long; stipites tufted. Stipes stiff, dark brown, (3)-5-20-(35) cm. long, densely paleate towards base, interruptedly winged; wings passing upwards into short pinnae. Rhachis stout, ± paleate, interruptedly winged with short triangular lobes. Lamina dark green, subcoriac., 20-50 × 10-25 cm., lanceolate- to ovate-oblong, acuminate, bipinnate or pinnae pinnatisect. Primary pinnae 5-12 cm. × 8-25 mm., lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, acuminate. Secondary pinnae or segs numerous, approximate to confluent at very base, up to 1 cm. × 3 mm., narrow oblong, acute to apiculate, subfalcate; crenate-dentate to subentire; veinlets mostly forked. Sori covering whole of undersurface.

DIST.: N., S. Lowland forest from near North Cape to lat. 42º. West of divide in S. Also recorded for Queenstown (B. D. Gilbert in Bull. Torrey bot. Cl. 26, 1899, 316).

Type locality: "shady woods on the East coast." Type: K, 1825, C. Fraser. Also in Philippine Islands.