Common name: Soft Water Fern
Blechnum minus (R.Br.) Ettingsh. APNI* 
Description: Rhizome short-creeping or erect, scales brown, translucent.
Fronds clustered, ± erect, dimorphic, pinnate for most of their length, mostly 25–70 cm long, sometimes > 100 cm long, pinkish when young, bright shiny green when mature; stipe pale brown, darker at the base, smooth.
Sterile fronds with longest pinnae 8–12 cm long, c. 10 mm wide; basal pinnae much reduced in size and widely separated, lowest ones 5–15 mm long, ± circular. Fertile fronds with pinnae 8–14 cm long, 2–3 mm wide, lowest pinnae widely separated, often not fertile.
Distribution and occurrence: Widespread in a variety of habitats in open forest, along creeks.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, SC, NT, CT, ST, CWS, SWS
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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