Platycerium madagascariense

Platycerium madagascariense is an accepted naturally occurring species in Polypodiaceae and is endemic to Madagascar.

The accepted native range is limited to Madagascar.

Platycerium madagascariense grows on trees in humid Madagascan forest. Herbarium specimens document it high in a tree at 650 m in Zahamena National Park and 5 m above ground at 1,100 m in ridge forest in Marojejy National Park.

Platycerium madagascariense develops additional growing points and can form a compact cluster of overlapping crowns.

Shield fronds are approximately 10–35 by 8–22 cm, remain green while darkening with age, and have raised veins that enclose recessed waffle-like compartments.

Fertile fronds are symmetrical, erect, approximately 10–30 cm long, fork one to three times, and usually carry one or two large spore patches toward the outer portions.

The enclosed waffle pattern of the persistent green shields separates mature P. madagascariense from P. ridleyi, whose prominent shield veins radiate outward without forming the same enclosed compartments.

Roots of the Madagascan orchid now called Eulophia pardalina grow through spaces between old P. madagascariense shields. The fern’s shield crown shelters the orchid roots from sun and drying, and ants often inhabit the same crown.

The species reproduces sexually from spores and can be propagated clonally from additional rooted growing points in established clusters.

John Gilbert Baker published P. madagascariense in 1876 from the Pools’ Madagascan collection, donated to Kew by William Pool. Mary Pool assembled most of their fern collection, and both collected during their departure in 1875. The epithet refers to Madagascar.