A genus of ferns in the family Blechnaceae, commonly called hard ferns or water ferns.
From Greek blechnon (fern), a word of uncertain origin. Blechnum was formally established as a scientific genus name in the 18th century when Linnaeus and others were systematically naming all known plants.
Blechnum ferns are found on every continent except Antarctica, and some species are used as ornamental houseplants. Yet most people have never heard of them because we rarely use the scientific genus names for plants unless we're botanists.
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