Rhizome erect or shortly creeping, woody, to 1 cm in diameter; rhizome scales lanceolate in outline, apex tapering to a point, 5–8 x 0.7–1.7 mm, either mid-brown and uniform or with darker centre and thin paler margin. Fronds monomorphic, tufted, to 120 cm long, somewhat fleshy. Stipe 27–55 cm long, shorter (< 20 cm) in sterile fronds, reddish brown, lowest 4 cm almost black, mostly hairless but with a few scales near base, similar to those of rhizome. Lamina 2-pinnate to 3-pinnatifid, ovate in outline, 32–50 x 24–34 cm, shiny; pinnae 2 free pairs on each side below pinnatifid apex, to 27 x 23 cm; pinnules sharply upturned, apex pointed, basiscopic pinnule larger (to much larger), terminal pinna deeply lobed-pinnate and to 30 x 22 cm; ultimate segments to 2.5 x 2 cm, sickle-shaped and pointed; free veinlets simple or occasionally forked as a ‘T’ with the tip often at a slight angle, thickened as for hydathode; lamina hairless except for glandular hairs in grooves of costa and on costules and margins in sinus. Sori median, mostly near tips of pinnules, on end of free veinlets and on branching points, 1–1.8 mm in diameter; indusium kidney-shaped.

torrisiana: named after Maria Torris, godmother of the author.

Moist forest in Uluguru Mts.

See African distribution.

Tanzania .

Terrestrial.