Blechnum geniculatum T.C.Chambers & P.A.Farrant APNI* Description: Terrestrial or lithophytic fern. Rhizome shortly creeping; apical scales dense, 5–20 mm long, acute, dark brown.
Fronds dimorphic, somewhat clustered; rachis strongly geniculate at base of the fronds forming an inverted 'cup', glabrous; stipe 8–32 cm long. Lamina of sterile fronds deeply pinnatisect, overall outline broadly lanceolate, 10–25 cm long, 7–15 cm broad; pinnae 8–23 pairs, closely adjacent, overlapping slightly towards frond base, broadly oblong-linear, up to 3.5–8 cm long, 1–2 cm broad, at frond base abruptly reduced to 1 pair of very short roundish lobes to 1 cm long, and 1 or 2 others, distant, 0.5–2 mm long; apex of pinnae acuminate, stoutly aristate; veins close together, rarely once forking.
Lamina of fertile fronds with 10–17 pairs of linear pinnae.
Distribution and occurrence: Endemic to Lord Howe Island. Rare on the summits of Mt. Gower and Mt. Lidgbird. Growing on damp to wet, shaded banks in moss-forest.
NSW subdivisions: LHI
Text by P.S. Green (1994)
Taxon concept: P.S. Green (1994)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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