Polypodium fragrans Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 1089. 1753; Dryopteris fragrans var. remotiuscula (Komarov) Komarov; Nephrodium fragrans (Linnaeus) Richardson var. remotiusculum Komarov; Woodsia xanthosporangia Ching.

Plants 20-30 cm tall. Rhizome erect or obliquely ascending, apex and stipe base scaly; scales ferruginous, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, membranous, sparsely dentate, shortly acuminate. Fronds caespitose; stipe stramineous, 1-2(-12) cm; scales ferruginous, oblong-lanceolate, with capitate golden glands, dentate; lamina oblong-lanceolate, 10-25 × 2-4 cm, widest at middle, bipinnate, gradually narrowed toward base, base less than 1 cm wide, apex shortly acuminate; pinnae ca. 20 pairs, oblique, lanceolate, apex obtuse or abruptly acuminate, middle pinnae 1.5-2 × 6-8 cm, widest at base, lower several pairs narrowed to auricles; pinnules oblong, dentate or lobed. Lamina herbaceous, glabrous on both surfaces; rachis and costa clothed with lanceolate, glossy, brown scales and glands; veins pinnate, obscure on both surfaces. Sori abaxial on veinlets; indusia orbicular or orbicular-reniform, membranous, sparsely dentate, close to each other at maturity and always exserted from frond margin, glandular; spores elliptic, tuberculate on epispore. 2n = 82.

Forests; 700-2400 m. Hebei, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Xinjiang [Japan, Korea, Russia; Europe, North America].