Polypodium stigmosum Swartz in Schrader, J. Bot. 1800(2): 21. 1801; Apalophlebia venosa (Blume) C. Presl; Cyclophorus stigmosus (Swartz) Desvaux; Niphobolus stigmosus (Swartz) T. Moore; N. venosa Blume; Pyrrosia chinensis Mirbel.

Plants 25-65 cm tall. Rhizome shortly elongated, 4-4.5 mm in diam., in cross section without sclerenchyma strands; phyllopodia 1-2 cm apart, lateral buds basal on phyllopodia. Scales basifixed, 2.6-6 × 0.9-1.6 mm, base dentate; acumen brown, entire or dentate. Fronds monomorphic, stipitate; stipe 9-22 cm, (0.16-)0.25-0.67 × as long as lamina; lamina widest around middle, 2-5.8 × 18-60 cm, base cuneate, apex acute to acuminate, occasionally rounded or obtuse. Hydathodes distinct, superficial. Indument persistent, dimorphic, dense, light grayish brown; upper layer with hairs ca. 0.5 mm in diam., with appressed, boat-shaped rays, lower layer with mainly woolly rays. Sori superficial, without central bundle of paraphyses. Sporangia sessile.

The presence of Pyrrosia stigmosa within the Flora area is questioned by one of us (Hovenkamp), who believes that the record might have been based on misidentifications of the following species, P. costata, as has been known to happen.

On tree trunks of broad-leaved forests; 200-1200 m. Xizang, Yunnan [Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam].