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NZ Plants
Blechnum membranaceum
Hard fern family: Blechnaceae
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Plant
L Jensen
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Fertile frond (left) and sterile frond (right)
I MacDonald
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Sterile frond stalk (stipe) with scales
L Jensen
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Sterile frond upper surface, midrib (rachis) with leaflets
L Jensen
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Toothed leaflet margin with small projecting hairs
L Jensen
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Sterile frond lower surface, midrib (rachis) with leaflets
L Jensen
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Fertile frond upper surface, rachis with leaflets
L Jensen
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Fertile frond lower surface, sori with fully open sporangia
L Jensen
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Blechnum membranaceum has a short erect stem bearing prostrate, dull green sterile fronds and erect fertile fronds with widely spaced, narrow leaflets. The sterile fronds have short, rounded leaflets that are longest above the middle of the frond.
An endemic species of streamsides in open forest throughout New Zealand.
Vegetative characteristics |
Fertile frond and sporangia |
|---|---|
Plant form: a short erect stem bearing a crown of horizontal fronds up to 250 mm long |
Frond appearance: erect, longer than sterile fronds and with widely spaced and narrow leaflets |
Frond stalk, midrib: scales present at base of stalk |
Sporangium location: on lower frond surface |
Frond shape: linear |
Sporangium position: leaflet margin |
Frond blade: pinnate (divided 1 x into leaflets or pinnae) |
Sporangium distribution: in groups (sori) |
Frond surface: leathery |
Sorus shape: in a continuous line either side of midrib |
Leaflets: longest leaflets above middle of frond; oblong or rounded with markedly toothed margins; attached along leaflet base (adnate) |
Sorus covering: linear covering (indusium) opening toward midrib |
