Polystichum pacificum Nakai, Bot. Mag. (Tokyo) 39: 119. 1925; D. lungjingensis Ching & P. S. Chiu ["luntsingensis"]; D. pudouensis Ching; D. quadrifida Ching ex K. H. Shing & J. F. Cheng; D. varia (Linnaeus) Kuntze var. hikonensis (H. Itô) Kurata; D. yushanensis Ching & P. S. Chiu; P. hololepis Hayata var. hikonense H. Itô.

Rhizome ascending, 3-4 cm in diam., apex densely covered with scales; scales black, lanceolate, 2-3 cm, hairlike at apex. Fronds caespitose. Stipes stramineous, 35-45 cm, ca. 4 mm in diam., base densely covered with scales like those on rhizome; upward scales smaller, hairlike, black or brown, appressed. Lamina pentagonal-ovate, 40-60 × 25-35 cm, tripinnate. Pinnae 10-15 pairs, alternate; lowest pinnae largest, up to 20 × 10 cm. Pinnules 10-15 pairs, lanceolate; lowest basiscopic pinnule on lowest pinna much longer than next, ca. 10 × 2 cm, directed downward, pinnatipartite or pinnatisect. Ultimate pinnules on lowest basiscopic pinnule 10-12 pairs, lanceolate, 1-1.5 cm × 5-7 mm, acute and with sharp teeth at apex. Veins pinnate; veinlets forked or simple, visible abaxially. Lamina papery, green; rachis and pinna rachis densely covered with linear-lanceolate, basally brown, apically black scales; pinnule costa densely covered with brown bullate scales. Sori slightly nearer to margin than to costa; indusia brown, reniform, erose. n = 123.

Subtropical broad-leaved evergreen forests. Anhui, Fujian, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Zhejiang [Japan, Korea].