Aspidium craspedosorum Maximowicz, Bull. Acad. Imp. Sci. Saint-Pétersbourg 15: 231. 1871; A. craspedosorum var. japonicum Maximowicz; A. craspedosorum var. mandshuricum Maximowicz; Polystichum leucochlamys Christ; Ptilopteris craspedosora (Maximowicz) Hayata.

Plants evergreen. Rhizome erect, densely covered with lanceolate brown scales. Fronds 10-20 cm; stipe stramineous, 2-6 cm, 1-2 mm in diam. at base, densely covered with scales; scales brown, lanceolate, basal margins with outgrowths; outgrowths hairlike, tortuous and soft; upper margins sparsely fimbriate or subentire. Lamina pinnate, linear-lanceolate or narrowly oblanceolate, 10-20 × 2-4 cm, slightly contracted at base, acuminate; rachis with dense lanceolate scales abaxially, basal margins tortuous ciliate; apex flagelliform, with proliferous bulbil capable of growing into a new plant. Pinnae 14-26 pairs, lower pairs opposite, upper pairs alternate, angled at 90° with rachis or slightly so basiscopically, shortly stalked, oblong or narrowly oblong, middle pinnae 0.8-2 cm × 5-8 mm, bases asymmetrical, apices obtuse or rounded; acroscopic base truncate, distinctly or indistinctly auriculate, basiscopic base cuneate, margins with incurved acute teeth; abaxially scaly; microscales dense or sparse, brown, linear and hairlike, basal margins with outgrowths; outgrowths hairlike, tortuous and soft; frond texture papery; venation pinnate, lateral veins free, indistinct adaxially. Sori often in 1 row close to acroscopic margins, sometimes also on basiscopic side; indusia large, entire.

Judging from the simple description, Polystichum craspedosorum var. giraldii Christ (in Baroni & Christ, Nuovo Giorn. Bot. Ital., n.s., 4: 93. 1897) from Shaanxi (Taibai Shan) may be the same as the typical variety, however, we did not see its type.

Shaded and dry limestone areas; below 2300 m. Gansu, Guizhou, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jilin, Liaoning, Ningxia (Jingyuan), Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Zhejiang (Changhua, Lin’an) [Japan, Korea, Russia (Far East)].