Blechnum

Linnaeus

Sp. Pl. 2: 1077. 1753; Gen. Pl. ed. 5, 485, 1754.

Common names: Deer ferns
Etymology: Greek blechnon, an ancient name for ferns in general
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 2.
 TaxonIllustrator 
FNA2 P33 Blechnum-Woodwardia pg 224.jpegBlechnum spicant
Woodwardia fimbriata
Woodwardia areolata
John Myers
John Myers
John Myers

Plants terrestrial or rarely on rock. Stems creeping to ascending or erect, slender to stout, sometimes climbing [rarely subarborescent]; scales brown or black. Leaves monomorphic or variously dimorphic, cespitose to scattered. Blades pinnatifid to 1-pinnate, rarely simple or 2-pinnate. Rachis and costae glabrous, scaly, or hairy abaxially. Veins free, often forked. Sori borne on vascular commissures parallel to costae, 1 per side, normally uninterrupted, linear, continuous along length of costa. Spores with perine smooth to variously winged or rugose. x = 28, 29, 31, 32, 34, 36.

Distribution

Mostly tropical, especially Southern Hemisphere

Discussion

Species ca. 220 (3 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Key

1 Leaves strongly dimorphic, fertile leaves notably more erect, longer, and with narrower pinnae than sterile leaves; sterile blades tapering at base. Blechnum spicant
1 Leaves ± monomorphic, fertile leaves only slightly longer and somewhat contracted relative to sterile leaves; sterile blades ± truncate at base. > 2
2 Blades 1-pinnate proximally and pinnatifid distally or pinnatifid nearly throughout, usually less than 50 cm; pinna margins ± entire. Blechnum occidentale var. minor
2 Blades 1-pinnate throughout, usually more than 50 cm; pinna margins ± evenly serrulate. Blechnum serrulatum
... more about "Blechnum"
Clifton E. Nauman +
Linnaeus +
2-pinnate +, simple +  and 1-pinnate +
anthocyanic +
occasionally +  and glabrous +
pinnatifid +
Deer ferns +
sorus-bearing +
hairy +, scaly +  and glabrous +
sorus-bearing +
Mostly tropical +  and especially Southern Hemisphere +
Greek blechnon, an ancient name for ferns in general +
monomorphic +
cespitose +  and dimorphic +
fertile +  and sterile +
ornamented +
not articulate +
hairy +, scaly +  and glabrous +
black +  and brown +
continuous +  and uninterrupted +
elongate +
reniform +
dictyostelic +
creeping +  and ascending or erect +
slender +  and stout +
Blechnum +
Blechnaceae +
anastomosing +
rarely +  and terrestrial +
36 +, 34 +, 32 +, 31 +, 29 +  and 28 +