Platycerium bifurcatum (Cav.) C.Chr., Polypodiaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

English: common staghorn fern, elkhorn fern

French: corne d'élan

Habit:  fern

Description: 

Genus: "…epiphytic ferns, growing on trees and rocks, forming very large clumps. The fleshy light- to dark-green fronds are covered with small star-shaped hairs and are of two distinct types: the sheathing or covering fronds envelop the closely matted rhizome and extend upwards, forming a sheath; the fertile fronds, which extend outwards, are upright or pendulous, and are frequently large and lobed at the ends. The sori form thick patches on the underside of the fertile fronds." (Blombery, 1977; pp. 73-74).

Species:  "Rhizome scales bearing long, tan, multicellular hairs.  Base leaves rounded, kidney-shaped, to 1 inch across, upper margin wavy-lobed; foliage leaves erect or drooping, to three feet long, base narrowly wedge-shaped, broadening upward, apical portion 2-3-forked, segments slightly unequal, strap-shaped, to 1 foot x 1.25 inches; peti without scattered vascular bundles in central region.  Sporangia covering tips or entire underside of ultimate segments, usually extending around sinus"  (Staples & Herbst, 2005; p. 45).

Habitat/ecology:  Moist and wet forests. Widely cultivated.

Propagation:  Spores.  Pups also develop from the roots of mature plants (Staples & Herbst, 2005; p. 45).

Native range:  Australia and New Guinea (Staples & Herbst, 2005; p. 45).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Lord Howe Island	Lord Howe Island	native	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 24)
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Norfolk Islands	Norfolk Island	native	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) "On trees in the forest". Vouchers cited: J. Pickard 3361 (NSW), P.S. Green 2041 (A, K), J. Pickard 3425 (NSW), J. Pickard 3467 (NSW)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	cultivated	Sykes, Bill (year unknown)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. (2005) (p. 45)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. (2005) (p. 45)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. (2005) (p. 45)
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	native	Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. (2005) (p. 45)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	New South Wales	native	Australian Biological Resources Study (2013) "Epiphytic, occasionally lithophytic, in rainforest or wet sclerophyll forest".
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	native	Australian Biological Resources Study (2013) "Epiphytic, occasionally lithophytic, in rainforest or wet sclerophyll forest".

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	introduced	Pemberton, Robert W. (2003) (pp. 203-206)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Platycerium bifurcatum, please let us know.