Nephrodium filix-mas (Linnaeus) Richard var. panda C. B. Clarke, Trans. Linn. Soc. London, Bot. 1: 519. 1880; Dryopteris bonatiana (Brause) Fraser-Jenkins; D. filix-mas (Linnaeus) Schott subsp. panda (C. B. Clarke) C. Christensen; D. yui Ching; Polystichum bonatianum Brause.

Plants 60-80 cm tall. Rhizome creeping or ascending, with ovate-orbicular, dark brown scales. Fronds approximate or caespitose; stipe stramineous, 20-30 cm, base with appressed scales similar to those on rhizome, subglabrous upward or rarely membranous scaly; lamina ovate-lanceolate or lanceolate, 40-50 cm, 20-25 cm wide at middle, once pinnate, not narrowed to base, apex acuminate; pinnae 12-18 pairs, remote, oblique, lanceolate, 6-9(-14) × 2(-4) cm, base usually broadly cuneate, shortly stalked, apex acuminate, lower pinnae usually broader at base; segments 10-15 pairs, oblong, entire or incised at margin, rounded to truncate and deltoid-dentate at apex, basiscopic segments in basal pair of pinnae longer than acroscopic ones. Lamina papery, both surfaces glabrous, occasionally on rachis and costa base clothed with lanceolate, brown scales; veins pinnate, simple or 2-forked, obscure adaxially, raised abaxially. Sori in 1 row on each side of costa, or 2 or 3 pairs (especially basal segments), close to costa or costule; indusia brown, with pale-colored membranous margins, orbicular-reniform, thick.

Mixed forests; 1300-3100 m. Gansu, Guizhou, Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan [India, Nepal, Pakistan].