Rhizomes short-decumbent, to 8 mm in diameter, closely set with roots, persistent stipe bases and scales; rhizome scales dull rust coloured, thinly textured, sessile, narrowly lanceolate to subulate in outline, to 24 x 3 mm, broadly wedge-shaped, toothed, regularly set with glands along the margin and on the scale lamina, often also with one or more outgrowths. Fronds crowded, suberect to arching, to 90 cm long. Stipes chestnut coloured at the base, straw-coloured higher up, to 39 cm long, to 6 mm in diameter, set with glands and scales, the scales to 24 x 3.5 mm, similar to those on the rhizome, but paler and reducing in size distally. Lamina lanceolate to ovate in outline, to 45.5 x 30 cm wide, to 2-pinnate-pinnatifid, with up to 14 pinna pairs, the distal pinnae sessile and eventually adnate and increasingly basiscopically decurrent. Pinnae petiolate, the petiole to 8 mm long, proximally spaced to slightly overlapping, near opposite to alternate, the basal pinna pair longest, to 21.5 x 9.5 cm, to 1-pinnate-pinnatifid, mostly not conspicuously basiscopically developed, narrowly ovate, lanceolate or oblong-acuminate towards the apex, with up to 10 pinnule pairs. Pinnules petiolate, the petiole to 1 mm long, the pinnules alternate, widely spaced and pinnatifid neear the base, more closely spaced and shallowly lobed at the apex, firmly herbaceous, narrowly triangular to oblong-acute in outline. Segments sessile, broadly ovate in outline, apex rounded, to 7 x 4.5 mm, lobed; lobes oblong, truncate to obtuse, to 6 x 3 mm, toothed. Venation evident on the lower surface, ending in the teeth near the margin. Rhachis, pinna-rhachis strawcoloured, narrowly winged near the apex, with glands and scales; costae with glands and scales on the lower surface. Sori circular, to 1.5 mm in diameter, in 2 rows on the segments and lobes, inframedial, merging at maturity. Indusia rust coloured, firmly herbaceous, reniform, to 2 mm in diameter, strongly incurved, entire to shallowly wavy, hairless or (rarely) with a few glands along the margin and laminae.

glandulosopaleata: refering to the scales that are set with glands.

On and amongst rocks in riverbeds.

See African distribution.

Cameroon, Nigeria.

Terrestrial.