Aspidium molliusculum Wallich ex Kuhn, Bot. Zeitung (Berlin) 26: 41. 1868; Cyclosorus acutilobus Ching ex K. H. Shing; C. densissimus Ching ex K. H. Shing; Thelypteris molliuscula (Wallich ex Kuhn) K. Iwatsuki.

Plants 40-100 cm tall. Rhizomes shortly to long creeping, including bases of stipes with dark brown lanceolate scales. Fronds approximate to distant; stipes 20-40 cm, stramineous; laminae 30-80 × 15-30 cm, bases not narrowed or slightly so, apices acuminate; lateral pinnae 10-20 pairs, sessile, proximal 1-3 pairs slightly shortened and reflexed; middle pinnae linear-lanceolate, 8-15 × 1-2.5 cm, bases truncate, lobed 2/3-4/5 toward costae, apices long acuminate; segments 20-25 pairs, middle ones lanceolate, 5-11 × 3-4 mm (basal acroscopic one longer and crenate), obtuse at apices; veinlets simple (occasionally forked on basal segment), 6-12(-14) pairs, proximal pair anastomosing, next vein running to sinus membrane. Laminae herbaceous, yellowish green when dried, both surfaces particularly along costae and veins with sparse slender acicular hairs, adaxially with several short acicular hairs between veins. Sori orbicular, supramedial, proximal pair usually confluent; indusia small, with acicular hairs. Sporangia without conspicuous glands. Spores brown, with long fimbriate wings.

According to Iwatsuki (Fl. Thailand 3: 424. 1988) and K. H. Shing (FRPS 4(1): 198. 1999), Cyclosorus molliusculus is distributed from SW China to Thailand. However, the present authors found that the specimens from S Yunnan, although similar in outline, are quite different from those from SE Xizang, Nepal, and N India. It may be questionable to use this name to represent the plants from Guangxi, Guizhou, and S Yunnan. As this problem cannot be resolved here, for the purposes of this treatment, we temporarily follow the treatments of Shing (loc. cit.) and Lu (Fl. Yunnan. 20: 605. 2006).

Semi-open places by forest margins, roadsides, thickets; 100-1600 m. Guangxi, S Guizhou, S Yunnan [India, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand].