so 
BLECHNUM SPICANT. 
[Literally Spiked Fern: the word &\t)kvov, bleknon, 
signifying a fern. ] 
COMMON HARD FERN. ROUGH SPLEENWORT. 
Syn. — Bleehnum boreale, [northern] Osmunda spicant, 
Lomaria s., Asplenium s., Achrostichum s., Onoc- 
lea s., Struthiopteris s., Osmunda borealis. 
By some old writers this fern has been confounded 
with the Pteris. But the marks of distinction that 
separate the two are these : — the Pteris bears its 
fruit close round the margin of the pinnae, but the 
Bleehnum parallel to the mid-rib, and near it : and 
whilst the frond of the Pteris is decompound, or 
much divided, the frond of the Bleehnum is merely 
pinnate, or once cut, like the Poly podium vulgare. 
These distinctive marks are enough. There is but 
this one British species. 
The root is tufted, and has stout, tough, black 
fibres. The barren fronds lanceolate, pinnae oblong, 
rounded at the ends, lying close together. The 
fertile fronds grow taller, spring from the centre of 
the caudex, or stump of the root, are strap-shaped, 
tapering at each end. Their pinnae curled in and 
contracted longitudinally, alternate, dilated at their 
base, separate from each other, under side covered 
with fruit. Sori continued in a line from the base 
to the point of each pinna, lying on each side of 
the mid-rib. The fertile fronds attain maturity in 
September, but die down on the approach of winter. 
The barren ones endure, and consequently they are 
evergreen. The venation is very intricate, but very 
beautiful on minute examination. 
Uses. — Ferns are of no use as food for man or 
beast. They contain so much of the bitter and 
astringent principle as to make them generally un- 
acceptable. Even insects attack them but very 
little. A striking Geological argument has been 
used. When the coal beds are examined, it is 
•found that they are chiefly made up of the decayed 
remains of an inconceivable amount of gigantic 
