PlantFiles: Staghorn Fern
Platycerium wallichii

This Platycerium has a common name 'Indian staghorn' too, as it was first time discovered in India. Like its Madagascan relative, Platycerium quadridichotomum, this asiatic staghorn is also a hygroscopic plant. This term means like an ability to resurrect.

In nature this species will have a dormant period in dry season, between November-April in case of P.wallichii, all the fronds will become withered and turn grey-brown color, seem like a dead fern. But, at once they recieve the first rain, the dried wrinkly fertile fronds will absorb the water and revive again.

This circle of life would be the reason that why these resurrected staghorn are so difficult to keep.

Anyway, I love it.