‘Needle Leaf Java’ (Needle leaf Java fern) has strap-shaped leaves that are only 3-5 mm wide and about 5-20(-30) cm long.The term “needle leaf” obviously refers to (at least) two similar Java fern forms that grow to different sizes. Both forms, however, have extremely narrow, band-like leaves in medium to dark green with an undulate margin. The midrib is thick in comparison to the leaf width, and there are dark brown hirsute scales on the underside of the leaf. The distance between the leaves on the rhizome is quite short, and the roots are also quite short.