Staghorn Fern (lithophytes)

Description:

Platycerium superbum (pron. superb-um), commonly known as the "staghorn fern", is a bracket epiphyte and occurs naturally in tropical and subtropical rainforests. In this spotting, however, these little staghorns were not growing on trees as epiphytes, but on rocks as lithophytes. Either way, they are not parasitic plants. The ferns develop a humus-collecting "nest" of non-fertile fronds, and in doing so can grow up to 1 metre wide. They also develop hanging fertile fronds that can reach up to 2 metres long. The last photo was taken only a short distance down the track, showing epiphytic staghorns that have taken up residence in a very large tree. PS: If I have misidentified this spotting, please let me know. Also, despite saying "403 Forbidden", the second reference link does work.

Habitat:

Spotted on the Mt. Mathieson Trail along a ridge line, growing on a large rocky outcrop. Well-shaded in this area, and backed by dense forest at Mt. Mathieson, Spicers Gap. This area is a section of Main Range National Park, a World Heritage Area. Australian native flora in a mix of dry eucalypt forests and subtropical rainforest. This species is native to northeast New South Wales and Queensland in eastern Australia, but can also be found in parts of Indonesia and Malaysia.

Notes:

Staghorn or elkhorn? The difference between these two plants is the elkhorn (Platycerium bifurcatum) has thinner, whispier leaves and multiple “eyes” or rosettes of foliage, whereas the staghorn (Platycerium superbum – pronounced superb-um) has a single eye and larger leaves. These two species are now very popular as cultivated plants. Both P. superbum and P. bifurcatum are the only two species of the genus Platycerium that have been documented in Main Range National Park. Category Ferns - Polypodiaceae - Platycerium https://wetlandinfo.des.qld.gov.au/wetla...