Rhizomes short, stout, ascending or erect, apex densely scaly; scales dark brown, narrowly lanceolate, up to 7 mm, less than 1 mm wide; fronds caespitose. Fertile fronds 20-35 cm; stipe blackish brown at base, upward stramineous or purplish red, (5-)10-20 cm, 1-1.5 mm in diam., base densely scaly, upward glabrate; lamina 2-pinnate, lanceolate, (10-)15-18(-20) × (2-)4-5 cm, apex acuminate; pinnae 12-15 pairs, basal 1 or 2 pairs of pinnae hardly shortened, opposite, reflexed; middle pinnae lanceolate, (2-)2.5-3(-4) × 1-1.2 cm, base inequilateral, broadly cuneate, sessile, pinnate, apex shortly acuminate, pinnae alternate, spreading or slightly reflexed; pinnules 6-8 pairs, alternate, ascending; basal acroscopic pinnules prominently larger, oblong, 5-7 × 2-3 mm, adnate to costae or somewhat free, dentate at margin, apex obtuse-rounded and toothed; veins visible abaxially, pinnate in pinnules, lateral veins 3 or 4 pairs, forked, single per tooth. Lamina papery when dried, greenish brown, glabrate; rachis with sparse brown lanceolate small scales, stramineous. Sori oblong or shortly linear, inframedial on basal acroscopic veins, 1 per pinnule, often 2 pairs in basal acroscopic pinnule, on both sides of costule; indusia brown, suborbicular-reniform, J-shaped, or shortly linear, membranous, erose at margin, persistent. Perispore surface without folds. 2n = 80, 160, 80 (2× apomictic).

Coniferous forests, high mountain regions, wet areas; 2800-3500 m. Taiwan [Japan (Kyushu), Korea, Philippines].