Platycerium stemaria

Platycerium stemaria is an accepted naturally occurring species in Polypodiaceae.

Palisot de Beauvois described the species as Acrostichum stemaria in 1804, and Desvaux transferred it to Platycerium in 1827.

The species is native across tropical Africa and on Madagascar, Comoros, Seychelles, and islands in the Gulf of Guinea.

Platycerium stemaria grows primarily on trees in humid forest, secondary forest, open forest, plantations, and village gardens, and occasionally grows on rock.

Platycerium stemaria develops multiple growing points and forms clusters.

Shield fronds are approximately 30–60 by 15–30 cm, with upright wedge-shaped upper portions and broad truncate tops that may be smooth or irregularly toothed.

Fertile fronds are approximately 30–90 cm long, broad and roughly symmetrical, fork one or two times, and carry two broad spore patches around the final sinuses.

Clustered growth, upright wedge-shaped shields, broad symmetrical fertile fronds, limited branching, and paired medial spore patches identify mature P. stemaria.

The species has been recorded on many host trees and is frequently documented on African oil palm and coconut palm.

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

Platycerium stemaria can develop broad, glossy fertile fronds with conspicuous veins running along their length.