Hard-fern - Blechnum spicant

Fronds grow to a length of around 40cms and the plant remains green and fertile for most of the year. The leaves go right to the base of the stem, rather than stopping about 1/3 from the base in this species; this is a critical character.

Woodland with free draining acid soil.

Most of the year.

Perennial. The long flat fronds are actually sterile, and the short erect fronds are the fertile ones.

Widespread and fairly common throughout most of Britain except for the drier East Anglia region in England.

Local in Leicestershire and Rutland where it is virtually restricted to the Charnwood Forest area. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in only 14 of the 617 tetrads.