Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Pteridophyta (Filicophyta)
Class: Pteridopsida (Filicopsida)
Order: Polypodiales
Family: Platyceriaceae
Platycerium
This treatment of Platycerium follows the classification delineated by Hennipman and Roos in "A Monograph of the Fern Genus Platycerium (Polypodiaceae), except for the segregation of the family Platyceriaceae," in which they recognize fifteen species. the genus is a unique one, with a loyal following of hobbyist growers. The fronds are fleshy, flat and bifurcating, without a stipe or rachis, and are either dimorphic or trimorphic. There is usually a shield frond form which covers the base of these epiphytes, which also catches organic debris falling down; then there may be separate fertile and sterile fronds, with the sori acrostichoid across the backs of the fertile sections.
Species of Platycerium:
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This page was last revised on 10-27-1997.