Plants up to 1.5 m tall. Stipe reddish purple, 60-70 × ca. 1 cm, with sparse dark brown, broadly lanceolate scales proximally, glabrous distally, rounded abaxially, grooved adaxially; lamina brownish green when dry, ovate-deltoid, 80-90 × ca. 40 cm, 2-pinnate, herbaceous, thin, both surfaces glabrous; rachis and part of costae reddish purple. Pinnae 8-10 pairs; proximal pinnae ca. 30 × 12-15 cm, with stalks 3-3.5 cm. Pinnules 3-5 pairs, ovate-lanceolate, basal pair 8-10 × ca. 3.5 cm, sessile, slightly decurrent, base broadly rounded, apex acuminate or caudate-acuminate; terminal pinnule ca. 15 × 3.5-5 cm, long stalked, stalk 2-3 cm, base rounded-cuneate, apex caudate-acuminate. Simple pinnae and pinnules entire along margins. Veins distinct, 2-forked; hydathodes much enlarged, not extending to lamina margin. Sori extending to 3/4 of veins.

Coniogramme rubicaulis resembles C. fraxinea but differs by its reddish purple (not straw-colored) stipe and rachis. More research is needed to clarify their relationship.

● Forests in deep valleys; below 800 m. N Guangxi.