Rhizome erect, short; rhizome scales dark brown, linear-lanceolate in outline. Fronds tufted, 35–70 cm tall. Stipe straw-coloured, reddish brown towards the base or entirely purple-brown, 18–50 cm long with few scales at base. Lamina ovate-triangular in outline, 18–25 x 14–25 cm, the lower pair of pinnae 3-fid with terminal pinnule and one pair of lateral pinnules, remainder imparipinnate with (1–)2 pairs of lateral pinnules and terminal pinnule; pinnules 4–14 x 1.5–3 cm, the ultimate lateral segments 4–9-jugate, oblong to oblong-lanceolate, 1–3.5 x 0.3–0.7 cm, the terminal lobe 2.5–5.5 x 0.3–0.7 cm; costae and costules straw-coloured, raised and spinulose above, the former deeply channelled; veins free, forked or simple; sterile margins distinctly spinous-toothed. Sori extending for almost entire length of the segments, only the apex sterile and with a single apical spinule or 2–7 spinous teeth on each margin according to whether they are terminal or lateral segments.

subsp. albersii: Mucro and spinous teeth of ultimate segments very distinct; rhachis and stipe straw-coloured, the stipe darker at base.

albersii: collected by Albers in West Usumbaras, near Kwai, Tanzania.

Impoverished Podocarpus-Agauria forest, on ridges.

See African distribution.

Tanzania .

Lithophytic.