Ophioglossum lusoafricanum Welw. ex Prantl

luso: Portuguese, africanum: of Africa: of Angola, a previously Portuguese colony, from where this fern was first collected.

Rhizome elongated, up to 40 mm long, usually arising from a horizontal root; persistent leaf bases not present. Leaves 1 (sometimes 2), held at 60-90° from the horizontal. Petiole up to 9 cm long, subterranean for 30-50 % of its length. Sterile lamina 20-60 × 3-10 mm, narrowly elliptic or lanceolate in outline, apex pointed, base wedge-shaped to narrowly tapering, sometimes into a slender pseudo-petiole, venation obscure; fertile segment 3-16 cm long, inserted at the base of the lamina or at the base of the pseudo-petiole. Sporangia 8-23 pairs.

Angola, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe