Rhizome erect to suberect, 4-7 x 0.3-0.4 cm, scaly; rhizome scales texture homogeneous, erect, narrowly triangular in outline, base rounded-truncated, long fringed, provided with thickened cell walls around the point of insertion, the margin especially towards the apex irregularly and long fringed, apex long hairy, 6-9 x 1.2-1.6 mm, slightly chestnut, firmly membranous. Fronds dimorphic, close, erect. Phyllobases only different in color from the stem, vinous, ca. 3 cm long, with scales similar to rhizome scales, 5-6.5 x 1-1.5 mm. Sterile fronds (30)36-44(50) cm; stipe grooved above, slender, light or green brown, with scattered scales similar to phyllobases scales but smaller; lamina simple, narrowly elliptic in outline, wedge-shaped at the base, very narrow but long running, apex pointed, margin entire, flat or sparsely rolled, narrowly cartilaginous (perl-grey?)-ivory or yellow-margined, (16)19-25(30) x (2.5)3-3.6(4.4) cm., firmly papyrous or thin-subcoriaceous,on both sides with small appressed stellate scales (less than 0.5 mm diam.), sparsely provided: above olive, costa slightly grooved, below yellow-green, costa semi-compressed ribs, strawlike. Fertile fronds generally longer than sterile ones; stipe 28-31 cm long, slender; lamina elliptic in outline, base attenuate shortly decurrent, apex long attenuate, 13-18 x 1.6-2.3 cm, with scattered minute star-shaped scales above, completely covered with sporangia below.
Translated from Latin, needs to be checked with specimens.

rwandense: from Rwanda, this fern was first discovered at 10 km from Nyamasheke, Rwanda and is endemic to this country.

Low-level epiphyte on tree trunks on roadside banks and in montane swamp forest, 1600-1950 m.

See African distribution.

Rwanda.

Epiphytic.