 "Cibotium barometz" has been classified in the fern family Dicksoniaceae and is one of a small number of tree fern species that Carl Linnaeus initially placed in the fern family Polypodiaceae in his "Species Plantarum".The plant grows only to a height of , when erect, but is often prostrate, forming colonies of plants on open forest slopes and in disturbed areas.The fronds are up to long.