| Home | > | List of families | > | Polypodiaceae | > | Platycerium | > | alcicorne |
Platycerium alcicorne
Images: Click on each image to see a larger version and details of the record
Photo: Bart Wursten
Maforga Mission, Gondola
Photo: Petra Ballings
Cheringoma Escarpment
Photo: Bart Wursten
Along entrance road to Levasflor, Cheringoma
Photo: Bart Wursten
Along entrance road to Levasflor, Cheringoma
Photo: Bart Wursten
Road to Chinizuiwa River, Cheringoma
Photo: Bart Wursten
Road to Chinizuiwa River, Cheringoma
Records and maps: Display species records Map species using Google Maps
Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)
| Synonyms: |
Acrostichum alcicorne P. Willemet Elaphoglossum alcicorne (Desv.) Keyserl. Platycerium bifurcatum sensu Sim. Platycerium vassei Poisson |
| Common names: | |
| Frequency: | Locally frequent |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
Rhizome short, c. 1 cm in diameter, rhizome scales brown. Sterile fronds round to reniform, convex, notched at the base and overlapping, forming at maturity an almost hemispherical mass, 32 cm in diamater, thinly set with minute hairs, becoming glabrous with age. Fertile fronds up to 60 cm long, narrowly cuneate, reduced towards the base into a short and thick petiole, 2-4 times dichotomously branched, divided into rounded to bluntly pointed segments up to 30 × 2.5 cm, subglabrous above, densely set with minute stellate hairs below. Several sporangal areas on the underside of the lamina borne in soral areas on the ultimate and penultimate lobes; initially median on the segment, reaching from margin to margin and down to the sinus when mature, never covering the segment apex; covered with white stellate hairs. |
| Notes: | Not to be confused with P. elephantotis which has broad, undivided fertile fronds. |
| Derivation of specific name: | alcicorne: alces: the generic name of an elk, cornu: horn; translating to the common name 'elkhorn' |
| Habitat: | High-level epiphyte in deciduous woodland or dry, semi-deciduous forest, exposed or partially shaded. |
| Altitude range: | Up to 400 m |
| Flowering time: | |
| Worldwide distribution: | Comoro Isl., Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Réunion, Tanzania, Zimbabwe. |
| Mozambique distribution: | Z,MS,GI |
| Growth form: | |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects (whose larvae eat this species): | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Literature: |
Burrows, J.E. (1990). Southern African Ferns and Fern Allies. Frandsen, Sandton. Pages 188 - 189. (Includes a picture). Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983). The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria. Pages 301 - 302. (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 8. Roux, J.P. (2001). Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report 13 Page 96. Roux, J.P. (2009). Synopsis of the Lycopodiophyta and Pteridophyta of Africa, Madagascar and neighbouring islands Page 162. Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970). Pteridophyta FZ Pages 145 - 146. |
Other sources of information about Platycerium alcicorne:
Biodiversity Explorer (Biodiversity of southern Africa): Platycerium alcicorne
ePIC (electronic Plant Information Center): Platycerium alcicorne
Flora Zambesiaca web site: Platycerium alcicorne
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
GRIN (Germplasm Resources Information Network) taxonomy for plants report for Platycerium alcicorne
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Platycerium alcicorne
JSTOR Plant Science: Platycerium alcicorne
Kew Herbarium catalogue: Platycerium alcicorne
Tropicos: Platycerium alcicorne
West African Plants database: Platycerium alcicorne
| Home | > | List of families | > | Polypodiaceae | > | Platycerium | > | alcicorne |