This young Todea barbara frond shows a sturdy yellow midrib from which the pinnae or leaflets spread sideways, slightly sub-opposite and regularly overlapping. The secondary leaflets are narrow and oblong, sessile with rounded tips and smooth, straight margins. These leaflets are progressively shorter towards the tips of the primary or side-branches of the frond and angle upwards to some extent. A frond grows to about 2,5 m in length, arching down slightly.

The plants grow in sandy seepage spots among riverine scrub (Bean and Johns, 2005).