Hard-fern - Blechnum spicant
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Species Description
Widespread and fairly frequent throughout the UK except for the South East where it is largely absent. Habitat includes: Well-drained acidic soils in places such as woodland, heaths, moors, grassy, rocky slopes etc. Growing habit: Perennial. Height: Up to 75 cm.
Stace 4:
Blechnum spicant (L.) Roth - Hard-fern.
Leaves to 40(75) x 4(5)cm, the fertile more erect and slightly longer than the sterile; pinnae entire, the sterile ≤2 x 0.5cm, the fertile as long but much narrower; 2n=68. Native; woods, heaths, moors, grassy and rocky slopes on acid soils, often in rather dry places; common throughout most of British Isles but absent from much of Central & Central East England.
Key:
- Leaves (including petiole) to 50(75) x 5cm; pinnae entire, the sterile ≤2 x 0.5cm, attached to rhachis over whole width of their base
- Leaves mostly 20-40(75) x 2.5-4(5)cm