Aspidium moupinense Franchet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat., sér. 2, 10: 115. 1887; Polystichum macrochlaenum Ching & S. K. Wu; P. prescottianum (Wallich ex Mettenius) T. Moore var. moupinense (Franchet) C. Christensen; P. woodsioides Christ.

Plants summer-green. Rhizome erect, densely covered with broadly lanceolate brown scales. Fronds 12-20 cm; stipe stramineous, sometimes lower part brown, 4-9 cm, 1-2 mm in diam. at base, lower part persistent, covered with narrowly ovate and lanceolate brown scales. Lamina bipinnatifid, linear-lanceolate, 12-22 × 1.2-2.2 cm, base slightly contracted, apex attenuate; rachis without proliferous bulbils, scaly on both surfaces; scales light brown, lanceolate and linear. Pinnae 20-30 pairs, alternate, attached at nearly right angles to rachis, approximate, sessile, ovate or deltoid-ovate, upper pinnae narrower, middle pairs 6-10 × 4-6 mm, bases rounded-cuneate or nearly truncate, auriculate acroscopically and basiscopically, sometimes acroscopic auricles slightly longer, pinnatifid to middle of pinnae, immediate apex area obtuse. Lobes 3-5 pairs, but only 1 or 2 pairs lobed to rachis, alternate, slightly ascendant, approximate, broadly ovate to obovate, entire or serrulate, acuminate; abaxially with narrowly lanceolate light brown microscales, adaxially glabrous; frond texture papery; venation pinnate on lobes, indistinct on both surfaces. Sori on upper pinnae from middle of lamina upward, 1 or 2 on each side of midrib of lobe, or in 1 row on each side of pinna rachis; indusia present, toothed.

Alpine meadows, alpine coniferous forests; 2500-4500 m. S Gansu, Hubei (Shennongjia), Shaanxi (Taibai Shan), W Sichuan, Xizang, NW Yunnan [Bhutan, NW India, Nepal].