Plants 20-40 cm tall. Rhizome and base of stipes scaly; scales castaneous-brown, linear or subulate-linear, ca. 3 mm, entire, basally sparsely glandular pubescent. Fronds somewhat dimorphic. Sterile fronds: stipe straw-colored, light brown at base, slightly scabrous, glabrous, adaxially grooved, 3-10 cm; lamina digitate or rarely pinnate (2 pairs of lateral pinnae); terminal pinna linear, 10-17 cm × 2-3(-5) mm, base shortly cuneate, shortly stalked or sessile, margins serrulate, apex acuminate; lateral pinnae narrower, 5-10 cm, sessile or shortly stalked; basal pinnae pair sometimes forked. Fertile fronds: stipe 5-17 cm; lamina pinnate (2 pairs of lateral pinnae); terminal pinna linear, 10-27 cm × 2-4 mm, stalked (3-15 mm); lateral pinnae shorter; basal pair sometimes forked, sterile margins serrulate. Lamina thinly papery when dried; veins conspicuous, simple or forked.

● On rocks in forests, very rare; 2000-2600 m. Taiwan.