Platycerium wandae

Spores of P. wandae have been germinated and raised through gametophyte development under controlled conditions.

Platycerium wandae is an accepted naturally occurring species in Polypodiaceae.

Marian Raciborski published P. wandae in 1902 from a living plant collected near Doreh in northwestern New Guinea and sent to the Bogor Botanic Gardens in 1899.

A detailed comparison published in 1968 established that the giant fern later described under a Queen Wilhelmina name was the same species and that the earlier name P. wandae had priority.

The accepted native range extends from Maluku and the Aru Islands through New Guinea to the Bismarck Archipelago.

The species grows high on trees in lowland swamp forest and drier lower-montane rainforest from sea level to approximately 1,000 m and also occurs on planted and roadside trees.

Platycerium wandae normally develops as a solitary plant with one growing point and an enormous basket of overlapping shield fronds.

Shield fronds reach approximately 100–125 by 100–135 cm, divide four to six times above, and produce a conspicuous frill of small branching structures around the growing point.

Mature fertile fronds occur in pairs, reach approximately 50–135 cm, and divide into two unequal main sections that can each bear a broad horizontal spore patch.

The combination of a giant solitary basket, paired fertile fronds with two unequal sections, and a conspicuous leafy frill surrounding the growing point distinguishes mature P. wandae from other giant staghorn ferns.