Austroblechnum penna-marinaFamily:
BlechnaceaeRegion: Southern Hemisphere, New Zealand, Australia, Tasmania, southern South America, Chile, Argentina.
Habitat: temperate; wide range of environments, coastal areas to subalpine regions; prefers moist, shaded areas, forest floors, stream banks, rocky outcrops; tolerates a variety of soil types, including sandy and acidic soils.
Ecology: soil stabilization; provides habitat for small invertebrates; forest undergrowth.
Use: ornamental, as ground cover, for its attractive evergreen foliage and hardiness, in rock gardens, woodland gardens, landscaping.
BotanyFern: small to medium-sized; evergreen; forms dense, creeping mats.
Rhizome: creeping; slender; covered with brown, thin scales.
Leaves: dimorphic; sterile fronds are shorter and broader, while fertile fronds are longer and narrower; pinnate, with leathery, dark green pinnae, 10 to 30 cm long and 2 to 5 cm wide.
Sori: on the underside of the fertile leaves; in linear rows parallel to the midrib; covered by indusia.
Roots: fibrous; extensive.