Platycerium
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| Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture |
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Platycerium (Greek, broad horn; alluding to the shape of the lvs.). Polypodiaceae. Stag-Horn Fern. An anomalous genus of ferns with irregularly lobed thick lvs. with the sori forming irregular patches over one or both surfaces. The sterile lvs. are flat, rounded expansions closely adherent in layers to the substratum. In their native forests these ferns grow to the surface of trees and old plants and often form enormous nests. A few kinds of Platycerium are offered for sale in Amer. European growers list others, new ones appearing from time to time, but the whole group is grown in America only as specimens in large collections. The word "disk," as used below, refers to the widest unbranched portion of the fertile frond. The stag-horn ferns are amongst the most beautiful and distinct of ferns—perhaps the most striking of all— because of their noble antlered appearance and their epiphytal habit. They have two kinds of fronds, barren and fertile, the former being rounded disks which clasp the tree trunk, while the fertile fronds generally hang down and look like antlers. Occasionally the barren fronds are more or less antlered, as in P. grande, but never give so perfect a suggestion as do the fertile fronds. The species are all tropical, except P. alcicornc, which is therefore the easiest to grow and the commonest in cultivation. This species can endure a night temperature of 50° F. or even less. The glory of the genus, however, is P. grande (Fig. 3064). The barren fronds are exceptionally large, rounded, and wavy margined at the base, deeply cut above, forming an erect or arching background to the pendent fertile fronds, which fork more times and have much narrower segments than the barren fronds. ' Unfortunately this is the only species that does not produce suckers at the roots, by which all the others are easily propagated. It alone must be raised from spores, a long and anxious process. The only kind that has an erect and rigid habit is P. Hillii, which therefore is grown in pots while all the others may be grown on a block of wood, and some in baskets. P. biforme differs from all others in having a separate and specialized structure on which the sori are borne, the other kinds bearing their spore- masses on the under surface of the fertile fronds at or near the last forks. P. biforme, though it has been advertised, is probably nowhere in cultivation in the world. There is an improved form of the common type known as P. alcicorne var. majus, which is stronger- growing and has thicker fronds, enabling it to endure a drier atmosphere. It is therefore one of the best, if not the best, for exhibition purposes. At the other extreme from the slender grace of P. alcicorne and the rest is the bold and broad style of P. aethiopicum. The only one which bears no resemblance to antlers is P. angolense. All the species require a moist atmosphere, though the humidity should be reduced during the winter. With the exception of P. alcicorne they all demand a high temperature. All need perfect drainage, and in winter they should not have too much direct syringing, for they need a slight rest and are likely to spot or damp- off if water remains on the foliage too long. P. aethiopicum is said to be particularly sensitive. Stag-horn ferns are often grown on pieces of tree-fern stem. They are fastened to such support or to a board by means of wire, having first furnished the roots with a slit piece of peat for roothold and some sphagnum moss, to which may be added a little bone-meal for food and some charcoal for drainage. A little moss may be added every year or two. Eventually the barren fronds will entirely cover this material and the plants should then be left undisturbed for years. A stag-horn fern, with antlers spreading 6 or 8 feet, is a sight never to be forgotten. (W. H. Taplin and F. L. Atkins.) CH
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References
- Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963
External links
- w:Platycerium. Some of the material on this page may be from Wikipedia, under the Creative Commons license.
- Platycerium QR Code (Size 50, 100, 200, 500)
