Platycerium bifurcatum (Cav.) C.Chr., the staghorn fern, is native to tropical Southeast Asia and Australasia, from Java to northern Australia and New Caledonia, and has been introduced elsewhere, including Colombia.

This large epiphytic fern grows in the boughs and crowns of forest trees, often forming colonies. Individual plants within these colonies take on different roles - water and nutrient gathering, photosynthesis, and reproduction - supporting the colony and associated fauna.

The name bifurcatum (‘forked’) refers to the fertile fronds, which arch out from the base alongside heart-shaped nest fronds. The nest fronds, which turn brown with age, form a protective shield around the roots, trap leaf litter for nutrients, and collect and retain water to sustain the plant during dry periods.

Widely grown as an ornamental in tropical and warm temperate gardens, it can spread and naturalise, with the potential to become invasive.