Blechnum
Encyclopedia
Blechnum is a genus of between 150–220 species of fern
s in the family Blechnaceae
, with a cosmopolitan distribution
. By far the greatest species diversity is in tropical regions of the Southern Hemisphere
, with only a few species reaching cool temperate latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere (notably B. penna-marina
, south to Cape Horn
, Chile
, the southernmost
fern in the world) and Northern Hemisphere
(notably B. spicant
, north to Iceland
and northern Norway
).
Most are herbaceous
plants, but a few species (e.g. B. buchtienii and B. schomburgkii in Ecuador
) are tree ferns with stems up to 3 m tall. Blechnum varies from most ferns in having a separation of sterile (photosynthetic) and fertile (reproductive) fronds in the same plant.
Selected species
of the genus has varied since it was established by Linnaeus in 1753. Some authors have put many of its species in a segregate
genus Lomaria. Molecular phylogenetic studies of DNA sequence
s indicate that the genus Doodia
is embedded in Blechnum.
Fern
A fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...
s in the family Blechnaceae
Blechnaceae
Blechnaceae is a family of nine genera and between 240-260 species of ferns, with a cosmopolitan distribution.Most are ground dwelling, some are climbers, such as Stenochlaena. A characteristic feature of many species is that the young opening fronds are usually tinged with red.Genera*Blechnum L....
, with a cosmopolitan distribution
Cosmopolitan distribution
In biogeography, a taxon is said to have a cosmopolitan distribution if its range extends across all or most of the world in appropriate habitats. For instance, the killer whale has a cosmopolitan distribution, extending over most of the world's oceans. Other examples include humans, the lichen...
. By far the greatest species diversity is in tropical regions of the Southern Hemisphere
Southern Hemisphere
The Southern Hemisphere is the part of Earth that lies south of the equator. The word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' or "half sphere"...
, with only a few species reaching cool temperate latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere (notably B. penna-marina
Blechnum penna-marina
Blechnum penna-marina or pinque is a fern with a natural range spanning from Araucanía Region to the south and from the coast to the tree line of the Magellanic forests in Chile and adjacent areas of Argentina. B. penna-marina is also found in Australia and some Pacific islands.-Sources:...
, south to Cape Horn
Cape Horn
Cape Horn is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island...
, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, the southernmost
The world's most southern
- Cities and settlements :- Shops and service facilities :-Geography:-Animals:-Plants:-Gardens, zoos and aquaria:- Religion :- Science :- Transportation :- Other :-See also:*List of northernmost items*Extreme points of Earth...
fern in the world) and Northern Hemisphere
Northern Hemisphere
The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of its equator—the word hemisphere literally means “half sphere”. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator...
(notably B. spicant
Blechnum spicant
Blechnum spicant is a species of fern known by the common names Deer fern or hard fern. It is native to Europe and western North America. Like some other Blechnum it has two types of leaves...
, north to Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
and northern Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
).
Most are herbaceous
Herbaceous
A herbaceous plant is a plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of the growing season to the soil level. They have no persistent woody stem above ground...
plants, but a few species (e.g. B. buchtienii and B. schomburgkii in Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
) are tree ferns with stems up to 3 m tall. Blechnum varies from most ferns in having a separation of sterile (photosynthetic) and fertile (reproductive) fronds in the same plant.
Selected species
- Blechnum arcuatum
- Blechnum ambiguumBlechnum ambiguumBlechnum ambiguum is a type of fern growing on wet rocks in eastern Australia, often seen near waterfalls. Common around Sydney....
(C.Presl) Kaulf. ex C.Chr. - Blechnum blechnoidesBlechnum blechnoidesBlechnum blechnoides or Iquide is a hard fern species endemic to Chile.It has a distribution range from Concepción to Aisén in Chile. It grows up to altitudes of . -References:...
- Blechnum brasilienseBlechnum brasilienseBlechnum brasiliense is a fern in the genus Blechnum that is native to South America.This is one of the better known and more common species of Blechnum in warmer climates. It forms a small trunk. On some forms, the new fronds emerge a beautiful pinkish-red, making the fern very attractive....
Desv. - Blechnum buchtienii Rosenst.
- Blechnum cartilagineumBlechnum cartilagineumBlechnum cartilagineum is known as the gristle fern or soft water fern. It is a resilient and abundant fern growing in eastern Australia. Seen in rainforest and eucalyptus forest...
Sw. - Blechnum chambersiiBlechnum chambersiiBlechnum chambersii is a species of hard fern within the family Blechnaceae.-Distribution:B. chambersii is found in the southeast of Australia as well as on Samoa, Fiji and in New Zealand. B. chambersii is found on the North Island of New Zealand and in many of the coastal forests of South Island...
- Blechnum chilense Kaulf.
- Blechnum cordatum (Desv.) Hieron. (syn. B. chilense)
- Blechnum cycadifolium (Colla) Sturm.
- Blechnum dendrophilumBlechnum dendrophilumBlechnum dendrophilum is a species of fern in the Blechnaceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:...
- Blechnum discolorBlechnum discolorBlechnum discolor is a species of fern in the family Blechnaceae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. As noted by C. Michael Hogan, this species is found in a number of forest communities in diverse locations within New Zealand, and is sometimes a dominant understory component.Spores are...
- Blechnum durumBlechnum durumBlechnum durum in the hard fern genus is within the family Blechnaceae. This fern has a somewhat restricted range in coastal forests from south of Okuru and the Haast River eastward to the Catlins on South Island, New Zealand. B...
- Blechnum eburneumBlechnum eburneumBlechnum eburneum is a species of fern in the Blechnaceae family. It is endemic to China. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:...
- Blechnum filiformeBlechnum filiformeBlechnum filiforme or thread fern is an endemic New Zealand fern species in the hard fern family, Blechnaceae. The species authority is Ettingsh.Thread fern has a creeping and climbing habit...
- Blechnum fluviatileBlechnum fluviatileBlechnum fluviatile is a fern known in the Māori language as kiwikiwi. A herbaceous plant, B. fluviatile is a "hard fern" of the Blechnum genus in the Blechnaceae family. It was identified by Patrick Brownsey in 1979. Other common names are star fern, creek fern, kawakawa and...
- Blechnum gibbumBlechnum gibbumBlechnum gibbum is a "hard fern" of the Blechnum genus in the Blechnaceae family....
- Blechnum indicumBlechnum indicumBlechnum indicum or the Swamp Water Fern is often seen growing on sandy soils in swampy areas. The specific epithet indicum is from Latin, revealing this plant was first collected in the East Indies,...
Burm.f. - Blechnum lanceola Sw.
- Blechnum magellanicumBlechnum magellanicumBlechnum magellanicum, Costilla de vaca or palmilla is a medium-sized fern native with a natural range from Talca at 35° S, to Magallanes Region in Chile. It grows from sea level up to 2200 m.a.s.l...
- Blechnum monomorphumBlechnum monomorphumBlechnum monomorphum is a species of fern in the Blechnaceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes. It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:...
- Blechnum nigrum
- Blechnum nipponicum (Kunze) Makino
- Blechnum nudumBlechnum nudumBlechnum nudum is known as the fishbone water fern. It is an abundant fern growing up to a metre tall in eastern Australia. Seen in rainforest and eucalyptus forest. Often in colonies by creek banks.-References:...
(Labill.) Mett.Georg Heinrich MetteniusGeorg Heinrich Mettenius was a German botanist who was a native of Frankfurt am Main. He was son-in-law to botanist Alexander Braun ....
ex Luerss. - Blechnum obtusatum (Labill.) Mett.
- Blechnum occidentale L.
- Blechnum orientale L.
- Blechnum patersoniiBlechnum patersoniiThe Strap Water-fern is a fern in the genus Blechnum....
- Blechnum penna-marinaBlechnum penna-marinaBlechnum penna-marina or pinque is a fern with a natural range spanning from Araucanía Region to the south and from the coast to the tree line of the Magellanic forests in Chile and adjacent areas of Argentina. B. penna-marina is also found in Australia and some Pacific islands.-Sources:...
(Poir.) Kuhn - Blechnum petiolareBlechnum petiolareBlechnum petiolare is a species of fern in the Blechnaceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:...
- Blechnum schomburgkii (Klotzsch) C. Chr.
- Blechnum serrulatum Rich.
- Blechnum spicantBlechnum spicantBlechnum spicant is a species of fern known by the common names Deer fern or hard fern. It is native to Europe and western North America. Like some other Blechnum it has two types of leaves...
(L.) Sm. - Blechnum socialisBlechnum socialisBlechnum socialis is a species of fern in the Blechnaceae family. It is endemic to Ecuador.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:...
- Blechnum tabulareBlechnum tabulareBlechnum tabulare or the Mountain blechnum is a large, attractive fern that is indigenous to sub-saharan Africa.It occurs from the Cape, South Africa, as far north as Uganda and Nigeria. This fern's natural habitat is along river banks and on the margins of afro-montane forests. It grows very well...
- Blechnum vittatum Brack.
- Blechnum volubile Kaulf.
- Blechnum wattsiiBlechnum wattsiiBlechnum wattsii or the hard water fern is a common fern growing in rainforest and open forest. Often seen near creeks in much of south eastern Australia.-Sources:...
, TindaleMary TindaleMary Douglas Tindale was an Australian botanist specialising in pteridology and the genera Acacia and Glycine. Tindale died in 2011.-References:...
Hard Water Fern
Circumscription
The circumscriptionCircumscription (taxonomy)
In taxonomy, circumscription is the definition of the limits of a taxonomic group of organisms. One goal of taxonomy is to achieve a stable circumscription for every taxonomic group. Achieving stability can be simple or difficult....
of the genus has varied since it was established by Linnaeus in 1753. Some authors have put many of its species in a segregate
Segregate (taxonomy)
In taxonomy, a segregate, or a segregate taxon is created when a taxon is split off, from another taxon. This other taxon will be better known, usually bigger, and will continue to exist, even after the segregate taxon has been split off...
genus Lomaria. Molecular phylogenetic studies of DNA sequence
DNA sequence
The sequence or primary structure of a nucleic acid is the composition of atoms that make up the nucleic acid and the chemical bonds that bond those atoms. Because nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, are unbranched polymers, this specification is equivalent to specifying the sequence of...
s indicate that the genus Doodia
Doodia
Doodia is a genus of ferns in the Blechnaceae family. It is named after Samuel Doody , an English botanist. Distribution of the genus includes parts of Australia and New Zealand.-Species:* Doodia aspera* Doodia australis...
is embedded in Blechnum.