Platycerium alcicorne

Platycerium alcicorne (P.Willemet) Desv. is an accepted naturally occurring species in Polypodiaceae and one of the 18 species of Platycerium.

P. Willemet published Acrostichum alcicorne in 1796 and Desvaux placed the species in Platycerium in 1827; the type is tied to a historical illustration based on Comoros material, and P. alcicorne is the nomenclatural type species of Platycerium.

The epithet alcicorne means elk-horned and refers to the antler-like divided fertile fronds.

The native range includes Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Réunion, Seychelles, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe; India is introduced.

P. alcicorne is a clustered, colony-forming epiphyte capable of developing multiple growing points around a tree or mount.

Sterile fronds are rounded to kidney-shaped, convex, basally notched, and overlapping, forming an almost hemispherical root nest that can reach roughly 32 cm across.

Fertile fronds reach about 60 cm, fork two to four times, and bear several underside soral patches on ultimate and penultimate segments that stop short of the segment apex.

P. alcicorne produces fertile spores and is propagated sexually through spore culture.

Mainland Africa and Madagascar/vassei are established horticultural form labels within P. alcicorne; P. vassei is currently treated as a synonym, and appearance alone does not prove geographic provenance.

The colonial growth habit produces offsets that can be separated as vegetative divisions when each has a viable growing point and roots.

In-vitro regeneration of P. alcicorne from sporophyte root explants is scientifically documented.

P. alcicorne has repeatedly divided fertile fronds, whereas P. elephantotis has broad, largely undivided fertile fronds.

No current global IUCN Red List assessment was located for P. alcicorne during this review.

The Care Book describes old shield fronds of Platycerium alcicorne turning amber and retaining a glossy appearance.