Annual or biennial, usually lower than 10 cm; prothallium perennial. Rhizome very short, sparsely scaly when young. Leaves few, sparsely hairy, later glabrous, of two forms: the outer short, 3-7 cm, ovate to orbicular in outline, deeply pinnatisect or cut into fan-shaped, lobulate segments; others much longer, 5-20 cm, oblong-lanceolate in outline, 2-3-pinnatisect, segments obovate-cuneate, incised or pinnatifid; petiole as long as or longer than blade, slender, purplish. Sori scattered along the secondary veins, sometimes becoming confluent and occupying thr whole surface of segment. February-April.