Rhizome up to 1.5 cm. in diam., creeping, with tufted fronds and with very-dark-brown narrowly lanceolate acuminate subentire rhizome-scales up to 1.5 x 0.2 cm. Fronds arching, firmly herbaceous. Stipe up to 19 cm., pale-brown, becoming darker towards the base, at first with dense linear attenuate entire almost black scales up to 1 cm. long and also with larger broader scales, similar to those on the rhizome. Lamina up to 31 x 14.5 cm., narrowly ovate in outline, acute, with the lowest pair of pinnae somewhat reduced, deeply 2-pinnatifid. Pinnae up to 8 x 1.7 cm., narrowly oblong-lanceolate, acute, with the acroscopic basal pinnule enlarged. Pinnules mostly sessile, decurrent on the costa, oblong, obtuse, mucronate, serrate-aristate, often with a short mucronate acroscopic basal lobe, the base forming a right angle, unequally cuneate, glabrous on both surfaces at maturity. Rhachis pale-brown, with dense almost black hair-like scales up to 5 mm. long. Sori c. 1 mm. in diam., round; indusium c. 0.6 mm. in diam., membranous entire.
