Fronds brownish green or brown when dry, herbaceous, both surfaces with appressed scales; stipe grayish brown, 10-22 cm, with appressed, brown, linear or ovate-lanceolate scales; scales membranous, margin fimbriate; lamina linear, 30-60 × 1-1.5 cm, irregularly 1-2 times branched in upper portion; pinnae numerous, elliptic or flabellate, basal ones shorter and more widely spaced, upper ones close or touching each other; central pinnae ca. 5 × 7 mm, base usually truncate, margin irregularly crenate; rachis with appressed, brown, ovate-lanceolate scales. Fertile fronds not seen.

This is probably a form of Nephrolepis hirsutula (G. Forster) C. Presl.

Cultivated. NW Yunnan [originally from Melanesia].