Polypodium niponicum Mettenius var. wattii Beddome, J. Bot. 26: 235. 1888; Goniophlebium niponicum (Mettenius) Beddome var. wattii (Beddome) Beddome; Polypodiodes niponica (Mettenius) Ching var. wattii (Beddome) W. M. Chu & S. G. Lu; Polypodium niponicum var. laevipes Franchet ex Christ; P. wattii (Beddome) Tagawa.

Rhizome fleshy, long creeping, 5-7 mm in diam., covered with whitish bloom, scales only present on growing tip or at base of stipes; scales dark brown, lanceolate, margin minutely serrate, apex acuminate. Stipe dark straw-colored, 5-15 cm, pubescent. Lamina pinnatipartite, oblong in outline, 20-30 × 8-10 cm, wings of rachis ca. 5 mm on each side, truncate to cordate at base, caudate at apex. Segments 15-20 pairs, 4-5 × 1.2-1.4 cm, entire at margin, obtuse at apex; lowest ones subspreading to slightly deflexed. Veins anastomosing to form 2 or 3 rows of areoles on each side of costa and 1 row of areoles on each side of rachis, costal areoles with included free veinlets. Lamina herbaceous, yellowish green or gray-green, pubescent and whitish shortly hairy on both surfaces or more densely so abaxially. Sori orbicular, in 1 row on each side of costa, terminal on included veinlets, slightly closer to costa.

Epiphytic on tree trunks or on rocks; 1300-3000 m. Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan [NE India, N Myanmar, Vietnam].