PLATYCEBIUM 



PLAT YC LIN IS 



1369 



15:111. On. 51, p. 'J.VJ. G.C. III. 10:097. Not Mn. 1, p. 

 11, which is really P. grande. 



Var. majus, Moore, is stronger-growing, more up- 

 right, and with thick, leathery, dark green fronds. Ac- 

 cording to F. L. Atkins, the fertile fronds are more 

 broadly cut than the type and seldom forked more than 

 once. Polynesia. Veitch's Catalogue 1873, p. 13. 



W. M. 



No private conservatory should make any pretensions 

 to rank in the first class that does not take pride in at 

 least one well-grown specimen of Platycerium. The 

 Stag-horn Ferns are amongst the most beautiful and 

 distinct of ferns perhaps the most striking of all be- 

 cause of their noble, antlered appearance and their 

 epiphytal habit. They have two kinds of fronds, bar- 

 ren and fertile, the former being rounded disks which 

 clasp the tree trunk, while the fertile fronds generally 

 hang down and look like antlers. Occasionally the 

 barren fronds are more or less antlered, as in P. 

 grande, but never give so perfect a suggestion as do 

 the fertile fronds. The species are all tropical, except 

 P. alcicorne, which is therefore the easiest to grow and 

 the commonest in cultivation. This species can endure 

 a night temperature of 50 F. or even less. The glory 

 of the genus, however, is P. grande (Fig. 1848). The 

 barren fronds are exceptionally large, rounded and 

 wavy margined at the base, deeply cut above, forming 

 an erect or arching background to the pendent fertile 

 fronds, which fork more times and have much narrower 

 segments than the barren fronds. Unfortunately this 

 is the only species that does not produce suckers at the 

 roots, by which all the others are easily propagated. It 

 alone must be raised from spores, a long and anxious 



Erocess. The only kind that has an erect and rigid 

 abit is P. Hillii, which therefore is grown in pots, 

 while all the others may be grown on a block of wood, 

 and some in baskets. P. biforme differs from all others 

 in having a separate and specialized structure on which 

 the sori are borne, the other kinds bearing their spore- 

 masses on the under surface of the fertile fronds at or 

 near the last forks. P. biforme, though advertised in 

 America, is probably nowhere in cultivation in the 

 world. There is an improved form of the common 

 type known as P. alcicorne, var. majus, which is 

 stronger-growing and has thicker fronds, enabling it 

 to endure a drier atmosphere. It is therefore one of 

 the best, if not the best, for exhibition purposes. At 

 the other extreme from the slender grace of P. alci- 

 corne and the rest is the bold and broad style of 

 P. ^Ethiopicum. P. Angolense is the only one which 

 bears no resemblance to antlers. 



All the species require a moist atmosphere, though 

 the humidity should be reduced during the winter. 

 With the exception of P. alcicorne they all require a 

 high temperature. All need perfect drainage, and in 

 winter they should not have too much direct syringing, 

 for they need a slight rest and are likely to spot or 

 damp-off if water remains on the foliage too long. 

 P. ^Ethiopicum is said to be particularly sensitive. 

 Stag-horn Ferns are often grown on pieces of tree-fern 

 stem. They are fastened to such support or to a board 

 by means oi wire, having first furnished the roots with 

 a slit piece of peat for root-hold and some sphagnum 

 moss, to which may be added a little bonemeal for food 

 and some charcoal for drainage. A little moss may be 

 added every year or two. Eventually the barren fronds 

 will entirely cover this material and the plants should 

 then be left undisturbed for years. A Stag-horn Fern, 

 with antlers spreading 6 or 8 feet, is a sight never to 

 W. H. TAPLIN and F. L. ATKINS. 



PLATYCLlNIS (Greek, broad bed; in allusion to the 

 clinandrium). Orchidacece. Plants with small, closely 

 crowded pseudobulbs, each with a single, narrow, ever- 

 green leaf. The flowers are borne in graceful, drooping 

 racemes 6-10 in. long. They are small and not showy, 

 but the thread-like racemes arching from among the 

 lensely tufted green foliage give the plants a pleasing 

 appearance. Sepals and petals spreading; labellum 3- 

 obed; column short, with an erect-toothed clinandrium 

 and a large, narrow, erect wing on each side of the 

 clirmndrium. About 20 species in India, China and the 

 Malay Islands. HKINRICH HASSELBRING. 



1848. Platycerium grande. 



The several species of Platyclinis are all small, com- 

 pact-growing plants, requiring but little root-space. 

 They are of easy culture and readily adapt themselves 

 to either pot or basket culture, the latter being prefer- 

 able for those with pendulous flower-scapes. The roots 

 do not like being disturbed, but when repotting is neces- 

 sary it is best to do it just after the flowering period. 

 The compost should consist of equal parts chopped live 

 sphagnum moss and clean peat fiber. The roots should 

 be carefully distributed and the compost pressed gently 

 but firmly in around them, leaving the surface slightly 

 convex when finished. At least two-thirds of the space 

 should be devoted to free drainage with potsherds or 

 bits of charcoal. 



A shaded location and moist atmosphere, with a tem- 

 perature of 60-65 F. by night and 70-75 by day, will 

 afford them satisfactory growing conditions. They re- 

 quire a liberal supply of water at the roots, with occa- 

 sional syringing overhead in bright weather when grow- 

 ing, and should never be allowed to remain long dry 

 even when at rest. The plants frequently produce side 

 growths from the old pseudobulbs, which may be re- 

 moved after the growths are matured, leaving three or 

 more of the old pseudobulbs attached to each piece, 

 thus increasing the stock. When no natural break 

 occurs, however, the plants may often be induced to 

 break by slightly twisting, or notching the rhizome 

 with a sharp knife, thereby retarding the flow of sap at 

 that point. EGBERT M. GREY. 



glumacea, Benth. (Dendrochllum glumaceuntf 

 Pseudobulbs crowded, forming dense spreading masses, 

 the young ones clothed with red scales: Ivs. solitary, 

 broadly lanceolate, tapering to a petiole which is en- 

 closed by the sheath: peduncle from the top of the 

 pseudobulb, slender, bearing a long, drooping spike of 

 small white fls.: sepals and petals spreading, oblong, 

 acuminate; middle lobe of the labellum rotund, curved, 

 base with 2 fleshy ridges. Spring. Philippines. B.M. 

 4853. G.C. III. 18:552. 



filif6nnis, Benth. (Dendrochlhim filiforme, LindL). 

 Pseudobulbs crowded : Ivs. linear-lanceolate : flower- 

 stem thread-like, bearing a long, pendulous raceme of 



