categoryZFerns Ferns List 

HARD-FERN

Blechnum spicant

Hard-Fern Family [Blechnaceae]  

Fronds: overwintering
fronds8Jan fronds8Feb fronds8mar fronds8march fronds8apr fronds8april fronds8may fronds8jun fronds8june fronds8jul fronds8july fronds8Aug fronds8sep fronds8sept fronds8Oct fronds8Nov fronds8Dec

Spores:
spores8aug spores8sep spores8sept spores8oct spores8nov

category
category8Ferns
 
status
statusZnative
 

29th May 2018, Derwent Moors, Ladybower, Dark Pk dist. Photo: © RWD
A little colony of fronds.


10th July 2009, In woodland, Rosthwaite, Borrowdale, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
Another colony of male fronds. Typically grows in darker places within a woods and deep shade on a dry-stone wall rather than in full sunshine.


10th July 2009, In woodland, Rosthwaite, Borrowdale, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
Prefers acid soil, here on leaf litter. The sterile fronds are a paler green, the fertile fronds a darker green and with narrower pinnae and up to thrice as long as sterile fronds.


10th July 2009, In woodland, Rosthwaite, Borrowdale, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
The typical set of sterile fronds with leaves radiating away from a centre.


29th May 2018, Derwent Moors, Ladybower, Dark Pk dist. Photo: © RWD
The leaves try to avoid lying on the ground.


29th May 2018, Derwent Moors, Ladybower, Dark Pk dist. Photo: © RWD
Leaflets more or less in opposite pairs when young about a central axis (the rachis). From the top a groove goes along the centreline of each leaflet but stops well short of the tip. The tips of each leaflet have a small point.


10th July 2009, In woodland, Rosthwaite, Borrowdale, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
The fertile fronds are darker green and have pinnae that are curled under at the edges making them look narrower from above.


10th July 2009, In woodland, Rosthwaite, Borrowdale, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
A single mid-rib (rachis) runs the entire length, It is a simple 1-pinnate design. The flatter sterile frond above. The fronds with the darker-green leaflets which are curled over at the edges curled- are the female fertile fronds beneath.


Photo: © RWD
Leaflets all packed closely together when young, if not all are quite opposite. The leaflets are always simple on Hard Fern.


29th May 2018, Derwent Moors, Ladybower, Dark Pk dist. Photo: © RWD
This specimen is more upright. The fronds here are still unfurling at the top.


29th May 2018, Derwent Moors, Ladybower, Dark Pk dist. Photo: © RWD
The tip at the top is still unfurling, mostly off-screen. Leaflet shape seems to vary a little; these are long-triangular.


7th June 2018, Burbage Rocks, Hathersage, Dark Peaks. Photo: © RWD
The tall female fronds are up to thrice as long as infertile fronds nearer the ground. Even these are still unfurling at the summit. In addition, the fertile fronds tend to stand more vertical than the flopped-over infertile fronds. The fronds grow to 10 to 40cm long, with female fronds being the taller, up to thrice as long as infertile ('male') fronds.


7th June 2018, Burbage Rocks, Hathersage, Dark Peaks. Photo: © RWD
One characteristic of Hard Fern is that the fronds are widest somewhere near the centre and taper at each end. This is a female frond.


7th June 2018, Burbage Rocks, Hathersage, Dark Peaks. Photo: © RWD
Most leaflets here are curled in two dimensions. This is a female frond.


10th July 2009, In woodland, Rosthwaite, Borrowdale, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
The reverse side of a sterile frond.


4th Sept 2009, Hanging Gate PH, Wildboarclough, Derbyshire. Photo: © RWD
The reverse side of a fertile (female) frond which are curled up at the edges. The fertile 'spores' are still not visible in this specimen, it must still be too early in the year. The spores ripen August to November.


Not to be confused with: Hard Shield-Fern [a plant with similar name]

Hard Fern has simple leaflets (not compound) and lack teeth. It grows in woods, heaths and moors, mostly on acidic or peaty soils. It is widespread and common, but less frequent in the South and East of England.

Photos of the spores are still required.


  Blechnum spicant  ⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ Blechnaceae  

Distribution
family8Fern family8Pteropsida
 BSBI maps
genus8Blechnum
Blechnum
(Hard-ferns)

HARD-FERN

Blechnum spicant

Hard-Fern Family [Blechnaceae]  

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