| Blechnum chilense | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Division: | Pteridophyta |
| Class: | Polypodiopsida / Pteridopsida (disputed) |
| Order: | Polypodiales |
| Family: | Blechnaceae |
| Genus: | Blechnum |
| Species: | B. chilense |
| Binomial name | |
|
Blechnum chilense (Kaulf, 1824). |
|
Blechnum chilense, the Chilean hard fern or costilla de vaca (Chilean Spanish for "cow's rib"), syn. B. cordatum, B. magellanicum, is a fern of the family Blechnaceae, native to Chile. It is also found in neighboring areas of Argentina and the Juan Fernández Islands.
It grows to 0.9–1.8 m (2 ft 11 in–5 ft 11 in), often developing a trunk-like appearance over time. The fertile fronds are more erect, with narrower pinnae, than the infertile ones.
This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.