Leaves monomorphic, green through winter, 22--50 × 6--12 cm. Petiole 1/4 length of leaf, scaly at least at base; scales scattered, cinnamon-colored. Blade light green, deltate-ovate, 3-pinnate-pinnatifid, herbaceous, not or sparsely glandular. Pinnae in plane of blade, narrowly deltate-lanceolate to deltate-oblong, narrowed to elongate, serrate tip; basal pinnae deltate-oblong, somewhat reduced, basal pinnules shorter than adjacent pinnules, basal basiscopic pinnule longer than basal acroscopic pinnule; pinnule margins serrate. Sori near sinus. Indusia lacking glands.

Rock outcrops; 400--2600 m; Ariz., Tex.; Mexico.

Dryopteris cinnamomea belongs to the D . patula complex of Mexico and Central America, which is poorly understood. Arizona material of D . cinnamomea has been misidentified as D . patula , according to J. T. Mickel and J. M. Beitel (1988).