Synonym: Aspidium membranifolium; Ctenitis dissecta; Ctenitopsis membranifolia; Nephrodium dissectum; Nephrodium membranifolium; Polypodium dissectum.
BotanyFerns; terrestrial; ± 1 m tall.
Root: rhizome erect, short, ± 1 cm in diameter, densely scaly at apex; scales brown narrow paler margin, glossy, lanceolate, ± 4 mm, membranous, entire, apices acuminate.
Stem: stipe deep, stramineous, to brown; ± 40 cm tall, ± 5 mm in diameter; grooved above, with sparse light brown articulate hairs, lower part clothed with brown scales similar to those of rhizome.
Leaves: clustered; tripinnatifid, bipinnatifid toward apex; brown when dried; triangular-ovate or elliptic-ovate; ± 55 cm long, ± 35 cm wide; thinly papery, adaxially with sparse brown articulate hairs, base subcordate, apex acuminate; rachises, costae, and main veins brown, clothed with brown articulate hairs; pinnae 6 to 8 pairs, subopposite on lower part and alternate upward, interval ± 2 cm; basal pair of pinnae largest, obliquely triangular, ± 18 by × 14 cm, acuminate, stalks ± 9 mm, subsessile upward, pinnatifid to forming pairs of separate large pinnules; middle pinnae lanceolate, ± 16 by 5 cm, bases cuneate, apices long acuminate, pinnatipartite to 3/4 way toward costa, occasionally with subseparate pinnules; basal basiscopic pinnules lanceolate, ± 11 by 3 cm, bases cuneate, apices acuminate, pinnatipartite; lobes 10 to 12 pairs, interval ± 2 mm, light upward, oblong, ± 16 by 7 mm, obtuse, scalloped.; veins pinnate, free, veinlets forked.
Sori: orbicular, terminal on veinlets; indusia light brown, orbicular-reniform, hairy, entire, persistent.