Blechnum spicant
Fern ( Blechnum spicant )
The fern ( Blechnum spicant ) also Common fern or fern is a European species of the family Rippenfarngewächse. This species is the only representative of the genus Blechnum in Central Europe.
Features
This fern is characterized by two different forms of fronds. The spore -free fronds are 15 to 50 cm long and are simply pinnate. They have smooth-edged leaflets and survive the winter often than lying on the ground rosette.
The spore-bearing fronds usually develop in the center of the rosette and possess very narrow, ridge-like pinnate leaves. The sporangia are dark brown in the Sporenreife and die in winter. The sori are elongated and merge into two rows. Among the living fern leaves are often still the dead leaves of the previous visible.
Ecology
The fern is a (semi) rosette plant with oblique rhizome. It forms a VA -mycorrhiza from.
The multiplication is done by water and wind pollination spread of spores as granules flyer. The spores develop between July and September.
Occurrence
The fern prefers fresh, strong acid soil, forests, mostly coniferous forests. Less frequently it is found in deciduous forests. It can be found in Central Europe, especially in the humid altitudes of the highlands.
Often to scattered with the exception of Vienna, from the submontane to subalpine altitude level used in Austria.
He is also spread from Japan to western North America.
Other common names
In the Swiss vernacular of the fern is also called " Geißlleiterli ".
System
The fern was first published in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus in Species Plantarum under the basionym Osmunda L. spicant. James Edward Smith put it in 1793 in the genus Blechnum, but did not publish any valid combination. A year later, in 1794, Albrecht Wilhelm Roth published with Blechnum spicant (L.) Roth the currently recognized name.
The fern is divided into two subspecies.
- Blechnum spicant (L.) Sm subsp. spicant is the Western Palearctic nominotypical subspecies, of which two have different local breeds as separate varieties. Blechnum spicant subsp. spicant var spicant is the widespread family with up to 75 cm long, erect, different polymorphic fronds.
- Blechnum spicant subsp. spicant var fallax Long (Icelandic: Tunguskollakambur ) has prostrate, only 2-5 (rarely to 8 ) cm long, very shortly petiolate, similar fronds. He is a local endemic of the most water-rich hot springs of Iceland, the Deildartunguhver.
- Blechnum spicant subsp. spicant var homophyllum Merino ex H.Christ: The fronds is also the same design, but are erect and having 8 to 20 (up to 30) cm long. This clan is found in North Wester of the Iberian Peninsula.
Use
The fern is used as an ornamental plant of the marsh and pond edges Pray.
Pictures
Spore -bearing fronds
Botanical drawing of Rippenfarns of C. Lindman