Rhizome creeping, c.5 mm in diameter; rhizome scales up to 9 × 2 mm long, pale-brown concolorous, lanceolate, margin subentire, apex pointed. Fronds simple, tufted, erect, thinly coriaceous. Stipe up to 56 cm long on fertile frond, up to 32 cm on the sterile frond, 3 mm in diameter, straw coloured above the articulation, dark-brown below, shiny with scattered narrowly ovate brown scales with slightely fringed margins. Sterile lamina narrowly elliptic to narrowly oblonceolate in outline, apex pointed, base decurrent, 43 × 3.5 cm, glabrous on both surfaces, veins c. 1 mm apart, midrib shallowly sulcate below, convex dorsally. Fertile lamina up to 25 × 1.3 cm, very narrowly linear-elliptic, apex gradually tapering to a point, base long tapering, glabrous.

Deep shade of evergreen forests, growing on continuously wet peaty soils near brooks and in seepage areas.

See African distribution.

Dem. Republic of Congo, Zambia.

Terrestrial.