Platycerium (Staghorn) Ferns As Epiphytes
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Platycerium Elephantotis Image
Prehistoric Platycerium Fern Elephantotis
Platycerium Fern Elephantotis Is A Prehistoric And Tropical Species Of Platycerium Fern And Before The Botanist Decided To Change The Name It Was Known As Platycerium Fern (Angolense) . The Changing Of Its Name Came About , Because Its Fertile Fronds Resemble The Large And Rounded Ears Of An Elephants Ear .
This Prehistoric Platycerium Species Has A Natural Living Habitat Located , Within The Western Tropical Rain Forest , Of Africa , But Can Readily Be Found Living In And Around Western Uganda Along With Platy. Fern Stemaria As Witnessed In The 60's And 70's By , Dr. Alfred B. Graf , A Botanist And Horticulturist .
The Upper Portion Of Its Shield Fronds Become Quite Tall , Large , Erect And Wavy Resembling A Head Of Romaine Lettuce And Will Have A Lime Green Color To Them . This Upper Portion , Of The Shield Fronds , Have No Water Storage Capacity And Will Survive Until Another Set Of Shield Fronds Are Produced . The Lower Portion , Of Its Shield Fronds , Covers The Root Mass To Keep The Root Mass Damp , Between Rains . This Lower Section Has A Spongy Makeup That Can Absorb And Retain Moisture And Are A Lime Green Color .
The Fertile Fronds , Of Prehistoric Platycerium Fern Elephantotis , Are Round At Its Ends And Does Not Have Any Indentations . The Veins , In The Fertile Fronds , Are Thick , Raised And Very Easily Seen . The Fertile Fronds , Of The True Platy. Fern Elephantotis , Are A Darker Shade Of Lime Green Than The Fertile Fronds Of Its Cultivar , Because The True Species Has Fewer Stellate Hairs Upon These Fronds . The Shield And Fertile Fronds , Of The True Elephantotis Species , Has A Very Light Coating Of Stellate Hairs Upon Them .
Platy. Fern Elephantotis Is Very Tropical And Requires Tropical Cultivating Conditions , In Order To Live And Survive . This Prehistoric Fern Species Requires Day And Night Temperatures Between (65) And (75) Degrees All Year Round . Humidity Should Be No Less Than 65% And Filtered Sun Light Should Not Be Less Than 30% . Platy. Fern Elephantotis Needs To Dry Back Before The Next Watering To Prevent Root And Lower Shield Frond Rot . Keep In Mind That The Lower Portion Of This Platy. Ferns Shield Fronds Can Retain Moisture . Platy. Fern Elephantotis Also Requires Excellent Air Movement To Assist In The Drying Back Of Its Root Mass And The Lower Portion Of Its Shield Fronds .
Platycerium Fern Elephantotis Enters Into A Natural Dormancy Period , Beginning In Late Fall And Lasting Through Early Spring And During This Period No Shield Or Fertile Frond Growth Will Be Produced . Keep This Factor In Mind , When The Winter Season Arrives .
There Is A Cultivar , Of This Species , Named Platycerium Fern Elephantotis Elemaria . The Most Noticeable Difference Between This Cultivar And The True Elephantotis Species Is The Thick Coating Of Stellate Hairs On The Shield And Fertile Fronds , Of The Cultivar . The Stellate Hairs Are White , In Color And Gives The Cultivar The Appearance Of Having White Fuzzy Cotton Upon It . The Fertile Fronds , Of The Cultivar , Has Indentations At Their Ends . The True Platy. Fern Elephantotis Doesn't Have These Two Traits . Take A Look At This Image , Of The Two Species Of Platy. Fern Elephantotis And You Can See The Difference Between Them .
The Cultivating Requirements , For The True And Cultivar Elephantotis Species Are Basically The Same , But The True Platy. Fern Elephantotis Is More Difficult To Cultivate . If The Proper Cultivating Needs Are Given To Both Species They Will Have Very Little Problems Growing , Living And Surviving .
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