Stems stout, short-creeping, densely and conspicuously scaly; scales pale brown. Leaves clustered, 1--2 m. Petiole straw-colored to brownish red, to more than 1 m, scaly proximally, otherwise glabrous at maturity. Blade deltate to pentagonal, pedate, ultimate divisions pinnately divided, 1--2 × 1--2 m; rachis not winged. Pinnae few, closely spaced, remaining green through winter, not decurrent on rachis, not articulate to rachis, oblong-lanceolate, 1--3-forked, to 7 × 6 dm; base asymmetrical, acute; apex acute; rachis and costae glabrate or with minute hairs, especially near axils of proximal pinnae; penultimate pinnules linear to linear-lanceolate, pinnatifid, separated, not remaining green through winter, not articulate to rachis. Ultimate segments of blade numerous, linear-oblong to linear-lanceolate, to 19 × 6 mm, margins entire or serrulate, apex obtuse and rounded to acute; terminal segments 3--4 cm longer and more tapering than lateral segments. Veins anastomosing near costae and costules, becoming forked and free near margins of ultimate segments. Sori narrow, blade tissue exposed abaxially.