Niphobolus laevis J. Smith ex Beddome, Ferns Brit. India, t. 161. 1866; Cyclophorus laevis (J. Smith ex Beddome) C. Christensen; Polypodium breve J. Small; P. laeve (J. Smith ex Beddome) Baker (1892), not Mettenius ex Kuhn (1869); P. laeve Mettenius ex Kuhn; P. jaintense C. B. Clarke; Pyrrosia jaintensis (C. B. Clarke) Ching.

Plants 8-13 cm tall. Rhizome long creeping, 0.9-1 mm in diam., in cross section with up to 10 scattered sclerenchyma strands; phyllopodia 1-3 cm apart, lateral buds close to phyllopodia. Scales peltate, 3.1-4 × 0.3-0.6 mm, base entire; acumen light brown, entire or occasionally with long cilia near apex; shorter, orbicular to ovate scales regularly present. Fronds monomorphic, stipitate; stipe 0.5-2 cm, up to 0.25(-0.33) × as long as lamina; lamina widest below middle, 5-11 × 1-1.8 cm, base cuneate to narrowly cuneate, apex narrowly acute to acuminate. Hydathodes indistinct, ± superficial. Indument persistent, dimorphic, thin, light grayish brown; upper layer often fugacious, hairs 0.4-0.5 mm in diam., with appressed, boat-shaped or acicular rays, often with a distinct dorsal spine, lower layer with mainly woolly rays. Sori superficial, without central bundle of paraphyses; sporangia with stalks up to ± as long as capsule.

The name Polypodium laeve Mettenius ex Kuhn was based on a different type from that of Niphobolus laevis and made no reference to Beddome.

On rocks in forests; ca. 1200 m. Yunnan [India, Myanmar].