Staghorn Fern

Staghorn ferns, genus Platycerium, are a group of about 18 fern species in the polypod family Polypodiaceae, named for the antler-like, forking shape of their fertile fronds. They grow as epiphytes on trees and rocks rather than rooting in soil, and each plant carries two distinct kinds of fronds: flat, shield-like sterile fronds that clasp the support and shield the roots from drying out, and the branching, spore-bearing fertile fronds that give the genus its name. The genus is native across South America, Africa, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Guinea, and several species, especially Platycerium bifurcatum and Platycerium superbum, are widely grown as ornamental plants in tropical gardens.