Rhizome short- to medium-creeping; scales narrowly ovate, c. 1.5 mm long, dark brown to black with paler borders.  Fronds erect, 20–50 cm long. Stipe 5–20 cm long, densely clustered, c. 2–5 mm apart, stiff, persistent, dark brown; stipe and rachis with dense covering of spreading brown scales and hairs. Lamina 1-pinnate, narrow ovate, with 25–65 crowded pinnae, stiffly herbaceous, ±glabrous aside from a few scales on the mid-vein, dark green above, paler beneath. Pinnae sessile or shortly stalked (stalk < 1 mm long), oblong to linear-oblong, 5–18 mm long, 2.5–7 mm wide; apex obtuse or acute; base truncate to cordate; margins entire, usually undulate, sometimes with minute teeth near apex; veins obscure except mid-vein. Sori in continuous band c. 1 mm wide along margins, reaching almost to apex and base; reflexed margin covering young sori.