Asplenium otophorum Miquel, Ann. Mus. Bot. Lugduno-Batavi 3: 175. 1867; Athyrium erythrocaulon Ching; A. rigescens Makino; A. sinovidalii Ching & Z. Y. Liu; A. vidalii Nakai var. chinense Koidzumi; A. violascens Diels; Diplazium otophorum (Miquel) C. Christensen.

Rhizomes short, ascending, apex densely clothed with brown or blackish brown, linear-lanceolate, fibriform-tipped scales. Fronds caespitose; fertile fronds 45-70(-85) cm; stipe blackish brown, upward slightly purplish red, (15-)25-35 cm, 2.5-3 mm in diam., base densely clothed with scales, upward glabrate; lamina 2-pinnate, narrowly ovate or deltoid-ovate, 25-35(-50) × 20-25 cm at middle, base not narrowed, apex abruptly narrowed; pinnae ca. 15 pairs, under abruptly narrowed tip ca. 7 pairs, basal pinnae opposite, upper pinnae alternate, subspreading, sessile or very shortly stalked, lanceolate; middle pinnae 10-12(-25) × 2.5-3.5 cm, base truncate, pinnate, apex long acuminate; pinnules 14-17 pairs, alternate, subspreading, sessile, lower pinnules subtriangular to oblong-lanceolate, 1-1.7 cm × 4-6 mm at middle, base inequilateral, truncate, parallel to costae, auriculate on acroscopic side, auricles triangular, cuneate on basiscopic side, subentire or with small tooth at acroscopic margin, apex acute; veins visible abaxially, inconspicuous adaxially, pinnate in pinnules, lateral veins 7 or 8 pairs, oblique, lower veins forked, basal acroscopic veins 2-pinnate or 3-forked. Lamina papery when dried, pale brown, glabrate on both surfaces; rachis and costae pale red-purple, glabrate abaxially, with subulate spines on adaxial side at base of costa or costule. Sori oblong or shortly linear, 3-5 pairs per pinnule, inframedial; indusia brownish, oblong or shortly linear, membranous, entire, persistent. Perispore surface without folds, with granular ornamentation. 2n = 160.

Knapp (Ferns Fern Allies Taiwan, 439. 2011) noted that Athyrium otophorum is closely allied with A. delavayi, A. epirachis, and A. pubicostatum; and, although it is often distinguished by the glabrous abaxial surface of the rachis and costae, sessile pinnae, and auriculate pinnule bases, its diagnostic characters are not always definite.

Evergreen broad-leaved forests, bamboo forests, wet areas; 400-1400(-3000) m. Anhui, Chongqing, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Sichuan, Taiwan, Yunnan, Zhejiang [Japan, Korea].