Niphobolus linearifolius Hooker, Sec. Cent. Ferns, t. 58. 1861; Cyclophorus linearifolius (Hooker) C. Christensen; Neoniphopsis linearifolia (Hooker) Nakai; Polypodium linearifolium (Hooker) Hooker; Pyrrosia linearifolia f. cristata Akasawa; P. linearifolia monstr. cristata (Akasawa) Nakaike; P. linearifolia var. heterolepis Tagawa.

Plants 3-10 cm tall. Rhizome long creeping, 1-1.8 mm in diam., in cross section with 5-20 scattered sclerenchyma strands; phyllopodia 0.5-1(-1.5) cm apart, lateral buds close to phyllopodia. Scales peltate, 2.2-5 × 0.5-1 mm, base entire or ciliate; acumen light brown, ciliate. Fronds monomorphic, sessile, 3-8 × 0.2-0.3 cm, base ± gradually narrowed, apex obtuse or rounded. Hydathodes ± distinct, usually in a marginal row, distinctly sunken. Indument persistent, dimorphic, loose, brown; upper layer with hairs 0.5-2.2 mm in diam., with erect-spreading, acicular rays, hairs with mainly woolly rays often present only between sori. Sori superficial, without central bundle of paraphyses. Sporangia with stalks as long as capsule.

On rocks or tree trunks of slopes, on roofs of houses at low elevations; 800-1400 m (in Taiwan). Jilin, Taiwan [Japan, Korea].