Rhizome short, thick, covered with ovate-lanceolate, dark brown, translucent scales. Fronds tufted, erect to spreading, mostly 20–120 cm long, usually large and drooping. Stipe shorter than lamina, stout, grooved and green above, dark to almost black on lower surface; scales at base of stipe similar to rhizome scales but with long-tapering tips; scales along stipe, rachises and veins smaller, with broad triangular bases. Lamina ovate to oblong-lanceolate, 2–3-pinnate, often finely divided, pale to dark green, thin-textured (but not membranous); primary rachis with broad central rib between narrow grooves, thickened basal edges of pinnae decurrent along outer edges of groove. Bulbils (which form new plantlets) frequently present on upper surface of lamina, towards tips of pinnae, preceded by a group of dark brown scales on veinlet. Pinnae shortly stalked or sessile, ovate-oblong, often with tapering tips; pinnules elliptic-lanceolate, sessile or with short coarse stalks, obovate to triangular, 4–20 cm long, entire or with shallow lobes, outer margins convex; veins obscure except for raised midveins. Sori short, oblong, submarginal along pinnules or lobes; indusium oblong, firm, membranous.