Onoclea are deciduous ferns with creeping rhizomes and pinnately divided sterile fronds; spores borne on more erect, blackish, contracted fertile fronds
O. sensibilis is a deciduous, rhizomatous fern forming extensive colonies of broad, light green, pinnate fronds to 60cm in length, the pinnae deeply lobed. Shorter, narrow fertile fronds have much reduced, blackish lobes