Petiole 20--75 cm. Blade broadly ovate to deltate, 2--3-pinnate-pinnatifid, 30--100 × 20--80 cm; blades, rachises, and costae usually densely covered abaxially with abundant, straight, stiff, subappressed to spreading hairs. Pinnae all narrowly to broadly triangular; terminal segment of each pinna ca. 10 times longer than wide, longer ultimate segments several times their width apart, ca. 1--2.5 mm wide. Pinnules at nearly 90° angle to costa; fertile ultimate segments only decurrent, or more decurrent than surcurrent. Outer indusia entire, glabrous.

In barrens, pine woodlands, and edges of deciduous woods in strongly acid to circumneutral soil, forming large colonies in exposed sites; 0 m; Fla.; Mexico; West Indies; Bermuda; Central America; South America from Colombia to Peru.

In Florida and West Indies material, the abaxial surfaces are quite hairy; in Central American material they are often much less hairy.