Japan Flora: Fronds tufted; stipes 20-40 cm. long, pale straw- colored, densely scaly; scales membranous, the largest pale brown or pale red-brown, lustrous, lanceolate, 6-8 mm. long, 3 mm. wide, gradually acuminate, long-ciliate, the smallest ones filiform, 2-5 mm. long, entire at the tip, broadened and long-ciliate at base, the lower and basal scales deep chestnut­brown in the center, pale brown on margin, oblong-ovate to broadly lanceolate, 7-12 mm. long, 2-4 mm. wide, abruptly acuminate, sparsely ciliate to subentire; blades oblong-ovate to broadly lanceolate, 30-50 cm. long, 10-20 cm. wide, the scales on rachis dense, spaading to slightly deflexed, lanceolate to broadly linear, 2-3 mm. long, long-attenuate, long-ciliate; pin­nules firmly herbaceous, oblique, oblong- to elliptic-ovate, 公-15 mm. long, 4-6 mm. wide, spine-toothed, with hairlike scales scattered on upper side, prominent on under side; sori submar­ginal; indusia flat, 0.7-1 mm. across with a small dark center. Woods in mountains.

Honshu (Kanto Distr. through Tokaido to Kinki and Chugoku Distr.), Shikoku. China.

var. ambiguum Tagawa. Scales concolorous, those on the rachis densely fimbriate-dentate. Honshu (Kanto Distr. and westw.), Shikoku, Kyushu.