Common name: hard water fern
Blechnum wattsii Tindale APNI* 
Description: Rhizome medium- to long-creeping, rhizome scales dark brown to black with a pale border and finely toothed margin.
Fronds not clustered, dimorphic, pinnate for most of their length, mostly 30–70 cm long, new growth pinkish, older fronds dark green and leathery.
Sterile fronds with pinnae shortly stalked, longest pinnae mostly 7–15 cm long, 10–20 mm wide, basal pinnae only slightly smaller than middle ones. Fertile fronds slightly shorter than sterile ones, pinnae linear, 2–3 mm wide.
Distribution and occurrence: in rainforest and along creeks in open forest; widespread and often abundant.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, SC, NT, CT, ST
Other Australian states: Qld Vic. Tas. S.A.
Text by Peter G. Wilson
Taxon concept: T.C. Chambers & P.A. Farrant (1998)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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