Nephrodium prismaticum Desv.
Dryopteris prismatica (Desv.) C.Chr.
Cyclosorus prismaticus (Desv.) Ching
Thelypteris prismatica (Desv.) Schelpe
Aspidium caudiculatum Sieber ex Kunze

Rhizome not seen. Frond monomorphic, arching, non-proliferous, herbaceous. Stipe glabrous, surface smooth, pale-brown. Lamina up to 1 x 0.48 m., shallowly 2-pinnatifid, narrowly ovate-elliptic in outline, acute with c. 3 pairs of reduced basal pinnae; pinnae up to 24 x 2.2 cm., broadly linear or attenuate, base truncate, shallowly pinnatifid into short oblong broadly acute entire lobes up to 4 mm.; glabrous ventrally except for few white curved hairs along the costa, glabrous dorsally, the lamina with a rather warted appearance; 8 pairs of veins per lobe with 2 pairs of veins anastomosing below the sinus and with the fifth vein sometimes running into the sinus; rhachis pale-brown, glabrous. Sori up to 8 per pinna lobe borne nearer the costule than the sinus membrane, circular; indusium 0.5 mm. in diameter, glabrous.

This species is recognizable by having 2 pairs of veins anastomosing below the sinus, a lamina that is not proliferous, decrescent and has costae & costules that are glabrous.

Moist evergreen forests.

Malawi, Mauritius, Réunion

Malawi.

Terrestrial.