BLECHNUM OCCIDENTALE

This member of the Blechnaceae family was given this name by Carl von Linnaeus in 1753. It is found from Mexico through Central America and the Caribbean to tropical South America. It is growing in a well drained soil with lots of water and only little light. The rhizomes can grow to five centimetres in diameter, the entire plant to 50 centimetres in height. The spores are brown.

The genera name comes from the Greek word βλῆχνον, which means 'for a fern'. The species name means 'western'. Origin: Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Galápagos, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Leeward Is., Mexico, Nicaragua, Panamá, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago, Venezuela, Venezuelan Antilles, Windward Is. (Azores, Bermuda, Hawaii, India, Queensland, Sri Lanka). Synonyms: Blechnum humile Salisb.,1796. Spicanta occidentalis Kuntze,1891. Blechnum acuminatum, Fée,1852. Blechnum campylotis J.Sm.1866. Blechnum cartilagineum Schkuhr, 1809. Blechnum ciliatum M.Martens & Galeotti,1842. Blechnum cognatum C.Presl, 1851. Blechnum cunninghamii T.Moore, 1860. Blechnum drepanophyllum Trevis., 1851. Blechnum extensum Fée, 1852. Blechnum falcatum Link, 1833. Blechnum falciculatum C.Presl, 1851. Blechnum galeottii T.Moore, 1860. Blechnum glandulosum Wall., 1829. Blechnum haenkeanum Trevis., 1851. Blechnum helveolum Fée, 1852. Blechnum lomariaceum Sodiro, 1893. Blechnum lomarioides Sodiro, 1893. Blechnum mucronatum Fée, 1873. Blechnum occidentale f. bifidum Hahne, 1904. Blechnum occidentale var. campylote (Kunze) Farw. in Amer. Midl. Naturalist 12: 276 (1931) Blechnum occidentale var. cunninghamii, 1870. Blechnum occidentale var. lacerata Rosenst., 1906. Blechnum occidentale var. lomariaceum J.Bommer & Christ, 1896. Blechnum occidentale var. majus E.Fourn., 1872. Blechnum occidentale var. minus E.Fourn., 1872. Blechnum occidentale var. pallidum Suess., 1934. Blechnum occidentale var. pectinatum Hook., 1859. Blechnum occidentale var. solutum Kuhn ex E.Fourn., 1872. Blechnum pectinatum Hook., 1837. Blechnum rugosum T.Moore, 1884. Blechnum scaberulum Sodiro, 1893. Blechnum sodiroi C.Chr., 1905. Blechnum suburbicum Vell., 1831. Blechnum triangulatum J.Sm., 1857. Lomaria campylotis Kunze, 1843. Mesothema campylotis C.Presl, 1851. Struthiopteris appendiculata Trevis., 1869. Struthiopteris caudata Maxon, 1930. Habitat by Micah Freedman, Inaturalist.org. A plant in culture from Fernfactory.com.