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    3. Polypodiaceae
    4. Platycerium
    5. Species
    6. Platycerium ridleyi

    Platycerium ridleyi

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    Classification Information

    Scientific Name
    Platycerium ridleyi
    Family
    Polypodiaceae
    Genus
    Platycerium
    Last Updated
    October 16, 2026

    Origin & Distribution

    Native Region
    Southeast Asia (Thailand, Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo)
    Distribution
    Peninsular Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia (Selangor, Kelantan and Pahang), Sumatra including the Lingga Archipelago, and Borneo (Sabah and Sarawak). It formerly occurred in Singapore but is considered extinct there.
    Habitat
    Lowland rainforest, especially swamp forest along rivers and streams, growing high on the branches of tall emergent trees such as Shorea, often 30 m or more above the ground and exposed to the sun; occasionally on lower branches along rivers. It does not grow in open country, and often several plants grow on the same tree.

    About ridleyi

    Platycerium ridleyi is a compact epiphytic staghorn fern in the family Polypodiaceae, native to the lowland forests of peninsular Thailand, the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo. Its corrugated nest fronds (sterile fronds that clasp the support) have entire margins and conspicuous veins, measure 20 to 50 cm long, and overlap to form a rounded, cabbage-like mass that can enclose a whole branch. Ants often nest in the chambers between these fronds, and the species is frequently found together with ant ferns (Lecanopteris). Unlike most species in the genus, the stiff, leathery fertile fronds grow upward rather than hanging down, reaching 25 to 50 cm or more and forking like antlers, with an oval spore patch 5 to 17 cm long. Plants usually reach about 0.5 to 0.6 m tall and wide and grow slowly. It is closely related to Platycerium coronarium, which has pendulous fertile fronds. It is considered extinct in Singapore.

    Care Guide

    LightPartial Sun
    WateringModerate (When Dry)
    Temperature12–30°C
    HumidityHigh
    Difficulty:
    Challenging

    Care Tips

    Mount on a board or tree-fern slab and grow in bright light; in the wild it grows exposed to the sun in the crowns of tall trees, and too little light makes the plant lose its upright shape. Keep the air humid and provide good air circulation, misting regularly, as stagnant, humid air can cause rot. The nest fronds are thinner than in many staghorn ferns and the plant dries out more readily, so water once the base has begun to dry rather than letting it dry completely. It is sensitive to both cold and heat; a growing range of about 12 to 30°C is recommended, and it should be kept in a warm room in winter. Do not remove old brown nest fronds, which protect the rhizome. Growth is slow and it rarely forms offsets, so it is propagated mainly from spores or by tissue culture.

    Growth Records of ridleyi

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