Greek blechnon, an ancient name for ferns in general.
Plants small to large, terrestrial. Rhizomes erect, stoloniferous, scaly. Fronds clustered at tips of rhizomes. Stipes straw-colored, scaly. Blades pinnatifid to 1-pinnate, rarely 2-pinnate, chartaceous to coriaceous, sometimes glandular; rachises grooved. Pinnae monomorphic or dimorphic, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate. Veins free after forking and joining to form continuous linear veins close to and parallel to costae. Sori long, linear, borne on veins parallel to costae. Indusia long, narrow, opening inward and covering sporangia margins.
A genus of more than 200 species, mostly from tropical regions. Represented in Hawai 'i by a single widespread naturalized species from Mexico and tropical Central and South America.
