A fern with upright or drooping fronds usually up to 50 cm long. This species often produces distinctive round tubers on its creeping underground stems. Its 'leaves' are divided into numerous alternatively arranged narrow 'leaflets' (10-35 mm long and 4-11 mm wide). The lower parts of the 'leaflets' are usually somewhat overlapped and slightly lobed on one side, while their tips are relatively broad and somewhat rounded. Its brown spores are produced is small clusters midway between the centre and the margin of the undersides of the 'leaflets'.