Hemitelia velaminosa Diels
Cyathea velaminosa (Diels) Domin
Diplazium zanzibaricum sensu Alston, p.p., non (Baker) C.Chr.

Rhizome ascending to erect, stout, to 40 cm long, 10 mm diameter; rhizome scales linear-lanceolate in outline, up to 3 x 0.1-0.2 cm, mostly black-edged with fine-tipped marginal trichomes. Fronds monomorphic, tufted, 1.2–1.8 m tall, not proliferous. Stipe 64–100 cm long. Lamina bipinnate, up to 90(–140) cm wide (not seen complete); pinnae triangular-lanceolate in outline, apex tapering to a point, 14–44(–70) x 11–21 cm, 9–23 pairs of pinnules; pinnules triangular-lanceolate, 3.5–11 x 1–3 cm, with attenuate crenate apex and divided almost to the base (in lower pinnules) into 10–15 oblong lobes; lobes 0.5–2.5 x 0.3–0.8 cm, subentire to shallowly pinnatifid; venation often with scattered long multicellular hairs. Sori 1–12 per lobe, elliptic, 0.5–3(–4) mm long, the 2 lowest often contiguous lengthwise; paraphyses mostly numerous and obvious but few and short in some specimens; indusium wide and obvious before dehiscence, attached all round the sorus and often bursting irregularly across the top or sometimes only along one edge, or leaving fragments all around the sorus.

Forest, aften in swampy places.

See African distribution.

Cameroon, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Uganda.

Terrestrial.