The smallest, apical pinnules, the secondary leaflets of the upper pinnae (primary leaflets) on a young Todea barbara frond may be so short and underdeveloped that the frond appears spiky.

These twice pinnate fronds have finely toothed or scalloped pinnule margins appearing entire, the pinnules ascending and round-tipped to bluntly pointed, pale green and leathery (Bean and Johns, 2005; www.nzpcn.org.nz).