Platycerium bifurcatum
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Platycerium bifurcatum | |
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| Cultivated specimen | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Division: | Polypodiophyta |
| Class: | Polypodiopsida |
| Order: | Polypodiales |
| Suborder: | Polypodiineae |
| Family: | Polypodiaceae |
| Genus: | Platycerium |
| Species: | P. bifurcatum |
| Binomial name | |
| Platycerium bifurcatum | |
| Synonyms[3] | |
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Platycerium bifurcatum, commonly known as the elkhorn fern or staghorn fern,[4] is a species of plant in the fern family Polypodiaceae native to Java, Bali, New Guinea, New South Wales, Queensland and Lord Howe Island.
It is a bracket epiphyte occurring in and near rainforests. Growing to 90 cm (35 in) tall by 80 cm (31 in) broad, it has heart-shaped sterile fronds 12–45 cm (5–18 in) long, and arching grey-green fertile fronds which are forked and strap-shaped, and grow up to 90 cm (35 in) long.[4]
Taxonomy
The genus name Platycerium comes from the Greek platys (flat), and ceras (horn), while the specific epithet bifurcatum means forked. Both names are referring to the morphology of the fertile fronds.[5]
