| | | Platycerium ridleyi H.Christ., Ann. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg Suppl. 3: 8, pl. 2. 1909;Joe, Baileya 12: 96, f. 44. 1964 | | Polypodiaceae | |
Description: Epiphytic fern on tree. Rhizome scales oblanceolate, brownish, 0.8–1 x 0.5–1 cm. Nest-leaves up to 60 cm long, longer than wide, base rounded appressed to the host tree, upper part free, inflexed, slightly lobed, greenish turning brown. Normal leaves erect, up to 60 cm long, with two repeatedly up to 5 times-dichotonous sterile branches and a fertile lobe. Soral patch stalked 2–10 cm, convex, rounded to obovate, ca 5–17 x 3–15 cm. Sporangia on the concave underside of the lob, narrowly obovate, with stalked stellate hairs and apically a gland-like cluster of rays, dark brown. Spores 8 per sporangium. | | | |
Distribution: Widely scattered from Borneo, Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia and Peninsular Thailand. In Thailand recorded from Chumphon, Surat Thani, Trang and Narathiwat, locally common in evergreen forest, high humid, as high epiphyte over 25 m above ground, exposed, growing with several plants in one host tree. It has been said that the species has been extinct in some parts of its previous range.
Notes: The fertile frond, protects of the roots and rhizome of the plant and create an enclosed chamber within which is invariably colonised by ants, therefore the plant in cultivations rarely looks as beautiful as wild plants, perhaps due to the lack of certain nutrients of other benefits provided by the ants. It is also often found in association with Lecanopteris (Mermecophila). Last updated on 15 November 2016. | |
Thai name: Foen khao kwang (เฟินเขากวาง); common name: Ridley's Staghon Fern. | |
Photos: Rachun Pooma (Ratchapapha Dam, Surat Thani; 28 November 1987). | |
References:
| Joe, B. 1964. A review of the species of Platycerium. Baileya Vol. 12: 96–98. | | Hennipman, E and M.C. Roos. 1988. Platycerium. In Flora Malesiana, Ser.II, Vol.3: 133–143. |
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