1. Blechnum Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 1077. 1753.
乌毛蕨属 wu mao jue shu
Authors: Wang Faguo, Prof. Fuwu Xing & Masahiro Kato
Blechnopsis C. Presl.
Plants terrestrial, moderate-sized or large. Rhizome usually erect or ascending, stout, dictyostelic, densely scaly; scales dark brown to brown, glossy, lanceolate, entire, basifixed. Fronds clustered, long stipitate; stipe robust, scaly at base, above naked; lamina pinnate, with reduced auricular lower pinnae, leathery; pinnae entire, linear, margin entire or serrulate; terminal pinna entire, similar to lateral pinnae; veins free, parallel, simple or forked. Sori linear, forming long coenosori adjacent and parallel to costa; indusium attached to commissure, facing toward costa; annulus longitudinal, interrupted, of 14-28 cells. Spores elliptic, usually smooth, with perispore.
One species in China.
Up to 200 species including species of Struthiopteris, which is usually synonymized under Blechnum: pantropical; one species in China.
Smith et al. (Taxon 55: 716. 2006) and Christenhusz et al. (Phytotaxa 19: 48-49. 2011) include the three following genera, Blechnidium, Struthiopteris, and Diploblechnum, within Blechnum.
