Polypodium rigidulum Swartz in Schrader, J. Bot. 1800(2): 26. 1801; Drynaria baudouinii E. Fournier; D. diversifolia (R. Brown) J. Smith; D. gaudichaudii (Bory) Gaudichaud; D. pinnata Fée; D. rigidula var. koordersii Alderwerelt; Goniophlebium rigidulum (Swartz) T. Moore; Phymatodes gaudichaudii (Bory) C. Presl; Polypodium baudouinii (E. Fournier) Baker; P. diversifolium R. Brown (Mar 1810), not Willdenow (Jun 1810); P. gaudichaudii Bory; P. rigidulum var. vidgeni F. M. Bailey; P. speciosum Blume.

Rhizome shortly creeping, 1-2 cm in diam.; scales brown to dark brown, with a lighter margin, spreading, peltate, 5-13 × 0.5-1.5 mm, margin ciliate, apex acute to acuminate; fronds dimorphic, rachises persistent; basal fronds 10-30 × 5-15 cm, lobed from 1/3-4/5, margin irregularly and finely denticulate; foliage fronds stalked, stipe up to 40 cm, not winged, with 2 rows of nectaries; lamina pinnate, 25-100(-200) × 12-50 cm, apex aborted; pinnae articulate to rachis, all equally long or smaller toward apex, 8-25(-30) × 0.5-1.5 cm, base narrowly cuneate, margin crenate to serrate, apex obtuse to acuminate, free veinlets simple or absent, hydathodes absent. Sori in 1 row between costa and margin, costal, single between veins, orbicular, sunken. Spores with short, blunt spines and globules.

Drynaria rigidula differs from all other species of Drynaria by the pinnate fronds. It is the sole member of D. sect. Poronema J. Smith, to appropriately show its isolated position.

Epiphytic, encircling tree trunks many times, rarely epilithic; sea level to 2000(-2400) m. Hainan, SW Yunnan [Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam; tropical Australia, Pacific islands (Polynesia)].