Kingdom Plantae Class Pteridopsida Family Blechnaceae Rank Species | Division Pteridophyta Order Athyriales Genus Blechnum L. | |
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Scientific name Blechnum nudum ([[Labill.]]) [[Georg Heinrich Mettenius Similar Blechnum wattsii, Blechnum minus, Blechnum cartilagineum, Calochlaena dubia, Blechnum patersonii | ||
Blechnum nudum is commonly known as the fishbone waterfern. It is a fern that grows up to a metre tall, and is abundant in rainforest and eucalyptus forest in eastern Australia. It often forms large colonies along creek banks.
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Distribution
The fishbone water fern grows abundantly in all Australian states except for Western Australia.
Habitat
The fishbone waterfern can grow in a range of wet forests. Like many ferns, it thrives in areas of higher water availability. Because of this, the fishbone waterfern inhabits moist, poorly drained sites. Shade is an essential factor for the fishbone waterfern due to its need for water. Thus, two suitable habitats are rainforest and wet eucalyptus forest. Both forest types tend to be high rainfall, with a large percentage of canopy cover to ensure shade. Fertile soils allow the waterfern to propogate and become abundant in wet eucalypt and rainforests.
