Asplenium torrei Schelpe

Rhizome ascending to long creeping, up to 4 (7) mm thick; rhizome scales c. 3.5 mm long, dark brown to black, linear lanceolate in outline, apex with a long drawn-out point, margins entire. Fronds tufted, suberect, thinly coriaceous to herbaceous, proliferous, gemma born towards the apex of the lamina at the base of the apical segment. Stipe up to 30 cm, stipe and rhachis matt-black, subglabrous with minute scales. Lamina up to 35 x 10.5 cm, imparipinnate with terminal segment resembling the subapical pinna, basal pinnae hardly reduced, dark green, lanceolate in outline. Pinnae 10-16 pairs, up to 6-7.5 x 2-3 cm, elongate trapeziform in outline, glabrous on both sides, margins with sharply pointed teeth, base unequally wedge-shaped, apex sharply pointed, veins forked. Sori linear, up to 15 mm long, set at an acute angle towards a fairly prominent costa, indusium entire, membranous.

On moist, deeply shaded rocks or as a terrestrial in evergreen forests.

See African distribution.

Angola, Cameroon, Dem. Republic of Congo, Guinea, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania , Uganda.

Epiphytic, terrestrial.