Fronds markedly stiff, coriaceous, the pinnules often with caudate apices and pointed lobes, the basiscopic pinnule of the basal pinnae noticeably longer than adjacent pinnules, the stipe scales all narrow and the costa and costules with slightly bullate-based scales (vs. more bullate scales of Section Erythrovariae).

1. Blade triangular or weakly pentagonal, basal basiscopic pinnule not conspicuously elongate, segment teeth absent or rarely aristate, young rachis mottled with light and dark colored scales

2. Blade gray-green, matt or dull, thickish, somewhat stiff

3. Frond to ca. 90 cm long, blade thick, stiff and rough textured, typically abruptly narrowed before tapering to the apex, scales on stipe and rachis ascending. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50. D. varia

3. Frond to ca. 40 cm long, blade firm, gradually tapered to the apex, scales on stipe and rachis spreading or recurving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49. D. saxifraga

2. Blade dark green, slightly glossy, thin leathery, flexible

4. Basal stipe scales with pale margins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48. D. sacrosancta

4. Basal stipe scales without pale margins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46. D. bissetiana