Diplazium subrigescens Hayata, Icon. Pl. Formosan. 4: 219. 1914; Athyrium elegans Tagawa; A. subrigescens var. pubigerum Sa. Kurata.

Rhizomes short, erect or ascending, apex densely scaly; scales brown, linear-lanceolate, fibriform-tipped. Fronds caespitose; fertile fronds up to 55 cm; stipe blackish brown, upward pale stramineous, 15-26 cm, ca. 2.5 mm in diam. at base, base similarly scaly, upward glabrate; lamina 2-pinnate, ovate-oblong, ca. 25 × 20 cm, base slightly narrowed, apex acuminate; pinnae ca. 15 pairs, alternate, subspreading, sessile, basal 2 or 3 pairs of pinnae slightly shortened, middle pinnae lanceolate, 10-12 × ca. 2 cm, base equilateral, truncate, pinnate, apex shortly caudate; pinnules ca. 18 pairs, alternate, approximate, ascending, sessile, basal pinnules ± overlaying rachis, middle pinnules oblong-triangular, ca. 1 cm × 6 mm at base, base inequilateral, truncate and auriculate on acroscopic side, auricles rounded at apex, narrowly cuneate on basiscopic base, with short teeth at margin, apex acute; veins slightly visible adaxially, visible and protuberant abaxially, pinnate in pinnules, lateral veins 5 or 6 pairs, oblique, lower veins forked, upper veins simple, pinnate in auriculate lobes. Lamina subherbaceous when dried, greenish brown, glabrate on both surfaces; rachis stramineous, glabrate abaxially, with dense brown short glandular hairs adaxially, costae densely hairy abaxially, with subulate spines on adaxial side at base of costa or costule. Sori shortly linear or oblong, 4 or 5 pairs per pinnule, biseriate on both sides of costules, subcostular; indusia brownish, shortly linear or oblong, membranous, entire, persistent. Perispore surface without folds.

Athyrium subrigescens is very close to A. delavayi and was treated as a synonym of A. delavayi by C. M. Kuo (Taiwania 30: 65. 1985). The relationship between these needs further investigation.

Forests; 1900-2400 m. Taiwan [Japan].