Green cliff brake

Description

Rhizome short, creeping, c.5 mm in diameter; rhizome scales lanceolate, brown to rust-coloured with dark brown central stripe, apex slowly tapering to a point, margin minutely toothed, up to 3 mm long.-- Fronds tufted, erect to arching, blue to pale green, thinly coracious.-- Stipe dark brown to blackish, shining, up to 33 cm long, longer or shorter than the lamina, grooved, set with scattered scales, more so towards the base.-- Lamina varying in size, shape and dissection; up to 20 cm - 8 cm, lanceolate to deltate or triangular in outline, mostly 2-pinnate to 4-pinnatifid, lower pinnae slightlyt basiscopically developed.-- Pinnules ovate-oblong in outline, apex rounded to slightly pointed, margin entire to minutely crenate, venation free, distinct, both surfaces hairless.-- Rhachis and secondary rhachis dark brown to black, deeply grooved with wings a paler chestnut colour, set with scattered, appressed hairlike scales, not pubescent in the axils.-- Sori marginal; indusium continuous, membranous, erose.