THE 



BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



VOL. II. 



BALANTIUM— Bal-an -ti-um. See Dicksonia. 

 BLECHNIDIUM— Blech-nid^ i-um. See Blechnum. 

 BLECHNOPSIS— Blech-nop -sis. See Blechnum. 



CHAPTER L 



BLECHNUM, Linncms. 

 (Blech'-num.) 



N Hooker and Baker's " Synopsis Filicum " Blechnum is given 

 as Genus 34. It forms by far the most extensive part of the 

 BlechnecB, a tribe composed exclusively of Ferns widely diffused 

 through Tropical and South Temperate regions, as the plant 

 popularly but erroneously known as Blechnum Sji leant ^ and 

 a native of Europe, is in reality a Lomaria and not a Blechnum. The genus 

 is a comparatively small one, and derives its appellation from Blechnon, a Greek 

 name for a Fern. 



Besides EublecJmum, or the true Blechnum of Linna3us, the genus comprises 

 Blechnopsls of Presl and Blechnidium. of Moore, which are separated by these 

 authorities only on very superficial characters. The genus also includes 

 Salpichlcena of J. Smith, which consists of only one species, differing from all 



VOL. II. B 



