Cheilanthes buchananii (Bak.) Domin

buchananii: named after Rev. J. Buchanan (1821-1903), missionary and fern collector

Rhizome shortly creeping to suberect, c. 5 mm in diameter; rhizome scales narrowly lanceolate to linear in outline, margin entire, up to 2 cm long, rust-coloured. Fronds erect, tufted, herbaceous to coriaceous, shriveling up during the dry winter months. Stipe dark brown to black, up to 12(16) cm long, with short, fine white hairs and with scales similar to those of the rhizome at the base. Lamina ovate to lanceolate in outline, up to 22 cm × 11 cm, deeply 2-pinnatifid to 3-pinnatifid on the basal pinnae which are not reduced in size. Pinnae upper surface sparsely set with stiff hairs, lower surface sparsely covered with long, soft white hairs, turning reddish-brown with age, margins entire to lobed. Rhachis dark brown. Sori marginal, discrete at first but continuous when mature; indusium continuous or discontinuous.

DRC, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe.