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Blechnum (From Blechnon the Greek name)

(from Blechnon, the Greek name of a fern). ORD. Filices. A very attractive genus of stove and greenhouse Ferns, thriving in a compost of peat, leaf soil, and loam. Sori linear, continuous, or nearly so, parallel with, and usually contiguous to, the midrib. Involucre distinct from the edge of the frond. Fronds uniform, generally pinnate or pinnatifid. Veins usually free. For general culture, see Ferns.

B. australe (southern).* cau. stout, creeping, scaly. sti. erect, 4in. to 6in. long. fronds 9in. to 18in. long, and from 2in. to 3in. broad, lanceolate, narrowed towards both ends; pinnae numerous the barren ones 1in. to 1 1/2in. long, 1/4in. to 3/8in. broad, linear, hastate-cordate, or auricled at the base, especially on the upper side, with a very coriaceous texture; fertile pinnae narrower. sori in a continuous or slightly broken line, close but not contiguous, to the midrib. South Africa, &c., 1691. Greenhouse species. B. boreale. See Lomaria Spicant.

B. braziliense (Brazilian).* cau. erect, stout, sub-arborescent, 1ft. or more long, densely clothed at the crown with dark brown scales. sti short, stout, densely scaly. fronds oblong-lanceolate, 2ft. to 4ft. long, 6in. to 16in. broad, narrowing downwards very gradually; pinnae close, linear, 4in. to 8in. long, 1/2in. to 3/4in. broad, narrowed gradually towards the point, finely toothed or undulated, connected at the base. Brazil and Peru, 1820. (H. S. F. 3, 157.) There is a very pretty variety met with in gardens under the name of Corcovadense crispum, which is not quite so strong-growing as the type, with wavy, crispy edges. They will all thrive in the cool of a stove fernery. B. cartilagineum (cartilaginous). cau. oblique, densely scaly at top. sti. strong, erect, 4in. to 6in. long, scaly, muricated in the lower part. frondsovate-oblong, 2ft. to 3ft. long, 6in. to 12in. broad; pinnae numerous, linear, 4in. to 6in. long, about 1/2in. broad, narrowed gradually towards the point, margin finely toothed, dilated, and connected at the base. sori in a broad line close to the midrib. Temperate Australia, 1820. Greenhouse species. B. hastatum (halbert-shaped).* rhiz. short, stout, scaly. sti. 4in. to 6in. long, nearly naked. fronds from 9in. to 18in. long, and 2in. to 4in. broad, lanceolate, with twenty to forty pinnae on each side; the barren ones 1in. to 1 1/2in. long, lanceolate, falcate, narrowed gradually to a point, the lower side slightly truncate, and slightly lobed, the upper cordate, with a large hastate auricle; fertile pinnae narrower. sori midway between the midrib and margin; rachis and surfaces naked or slightly pubescent; texture coriaceous. Temperate South America, 1841. Greenhouse species.

B. Lanceola (lance-leaved). rhiz. slender, creeping, stoloniferous. sti. slender, erect, 2in. to 4in. long. fronds lanceolate, undivided, 4in. to 6in. long, 1/2in. broad, or less, narrowed gradually from the centre towards each end. Tropical America, 1820. Stove species.

B. L. trifoliatum (three-leaved). fronds furnished with one or two pairs of small oblong-obtuse lateral pinnae at the base of the large terminal one. Stove variety. (H. S. F. 3, 94.) B. longifolium (long-leaved).* rhiz. slender, creeping. sti. firm, erect, nearly naked, 6in. to 12in. long. fronds 6in. to 9in. long, with a terminal pinna, and three to six lateral ones on each side, which are 3in. to 5in. long, and 1/2in. broad, narrowed gradually towards the point. sori in broad lines close to the midrib; texture coriaceous. Tropical America, 1820. B. l. fraxineum is a variety found in gardens under the name of B. fraxiniifolium, with a habit more close than the type; pinnae six to eight on a side, sometimes 1in. broad. B. intermedium (Link.) and B. gracile (Kaulf.), often seen in gardens, are slender-growing varieties of this rather variable stove species.

B. nitidum (shining).* sti. stout, erect, naked, 3in. to 4in. long. fronds oblong-lanceolate, 1ft. or more long, 4in. to 6in. broad; pinnae numerous, sub-falcate, linear, 3in. to 4in. long, 1/4in. to 1/2in. broad, narrowed gradually towards the point, dilated and connected at the base; edge undulate-dentate; texture coriaceous; both surfaces smooth. Stove species. The variety contractum, often seen in gardens, has its pinnae contracted, and the edge much undulated. Brazil. (H. S. F. 3, 55.) B. occidentale (western).* cau. stout, erect, scaly at the top. sti. 6in. to 12in. long, erect, scaly below. fronds ovate-acuminate, 9in. to 18in. long, 4in. to 8in. broad, with twelve to twenty-four linear pinnae on each side, which are 2in. to 4in. long, and about 3/4in. broad, narrowed gradually to a point, truncate or cordate; texture coriaceous. West Indies, southwards to Chili and South Brazil, 1823. A very handsome stove or greenhouse fern. B. o. multifidum (much-cut).* A pretty variety, said to have been introduced from Dominica; the apices of the pinnae are copiously crested and tasselled, rendering it very desirable. Stove variety.

B. orientale (oriental).* cau. stout, erect, clothed at the crown with dark brown scales. sti. 4in. to 8in. long, strong, erect, scaly below. fronds 1ft. to 3ft. long, 6in. to 12in. broad, ovate, with very numerous nearly contiguous pinnae on each side, which are 4in. to 8in. long, and about 3/4in. broad, narrowed to a long point. Australia, northwards to South China and the Himalayas. Greenhouse.

B. polypodioides (Polypodium-like). A synonym of B. unilaterale. B. serrulatum (saw-edged).* cau. elongated, stout, ascending. sti. 6in. to 12in. long, strong, erect, smooth, nearly naked. fronds oblong-acuminate, 1ft. to 2ft. long, 6in. to 9in. broad, with twelve to twenty-four pairs of quite distinct articulated linear oblong pinnae on each side, which are about 4in. to 5in. long, 1/2in. broad, narrowed gradually towards the point, and downwards to a narrow base, the margins finely incised. Florida, &c., 1819. Stove or greenhouse. SYN. B. striatum. (H. S. F. 3, 159.) B. striatum (striped). A synonym of B. serrulatum.

B. unilaterale (one-sided).* cau. elongated, densely scaly at the crown. sti. slender, erect, 1in. to 4in. long, slightly scaly below. fronds lanceolate, 6in. to 12in. long, 1 1/2in. to 2in. broad; pinnae numerous, spreading horizontally, linear, 3/4in. to 1in. long, central ones 1/4in. to 3/8in. broad, point usually mucronate; edge entire, or nearly so, the lower part dilated to a broad base. sori in a line close to the midrib. Tropical America, 1829. Widely distributed. Stove or greenhouse species. SYN. B. polypodioides, under which name it is usually found in gardens.