Abundance and distribution of the Critically Endangered Giant Staghorn Fern Platycerium grande (A.Cunn. ex Hook.) J.Sm. in Maguindanao del Sur, BARMM, Philippines
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.10017.17.11.27992-27996Keywords:
BARMM, biodiversity, conservation, epiphytic fern, phorophyte, polypodiaceae, Ophioderma pendulum, staghorn fernAbstract
Platycerium grande, commonly known as the Giant Staghorn Fern, is a notable species of the Pteridophyte family, Polypodiaceae – confined to the tropical forests of the Malay Archipelago, especially in Mindanao, part of the Philippines. This study assessed the abundance and distribution of P. grande in Maguindanao del Sur, as a baseline for future conservation efforts. Using purposive sampling, individuals were counted and georeferenced across multiple sites. A total of 186 individuals were recorded, predominantly thriving on large trees such as Mangifera indica (Mango), Pterocarpus indicus forma indicus (Narra), and Samanea saman (commonly called as Acacia in the Philippines), within an elevation range of approximately 672–754 m. A notable observation was the occurrence of the endangered fern, Ophioderma pendulum, attached to the basal fronds of P. grande. The findings provide valuable insights into the current status of this Critically Endangered fern in the Philippines and fill existing gaps in botanical knowledge of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), and support future conservation plans and strategies in compliance with Republic Act No. 9147 (2001), the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act of the Philippines.
References
Amoroso, V.B. (1992). Valuable ferns in Mindanao. CMU Journal of Science 6(2): 22–36.
Amoroso, C.B. & V.B Amoroso (1998). Spore culture of some economic ferns of Mindanao. Acta Horticulturae 461: 231–235. In: Proceedings of the International Symposium on Biotechnology of Tropical and Subtropical Species. Part 2, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 29 September–3 October 1997.
Amoroso, C.B. & V.B. Amoroso (2003). Plantlet production of the Philippine giant staghorn fern [Platycerium grande (Fee) C.Presl.] through spore culture, pp. 491–495. In: Chandra, S. & H. Srivastava (eds.). Pteridology in the New Millennium. Kluwer Academic Publishers, The Netherlands.
Amoroso, V.B. & R.A. Aspiras (2011). Philippine medicinal ferns: potential source of herbal medicine. CMU Journal of Science 15: 27–46.
Baker, J. (2018). The Staghorn Fern: A Guide to Cultivation and Conservation. Horticultural Press, London, United Kingdom, 214 pp.
Bhatia, M. & P.L. Uniyal (2022). In vitro gametophyte development, reproductive biology, and nitric oxide signaling in ferns, pp. 261–283 In: Marimuthu, J., H. Fernandez, A. Kumar & S. Thangaiah (ed.). Ferns, Biotechnology, Propagation, Medicinal Uses and Environmental Regulation. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-6170-9_12
Copeland, E.B. (1958). Ferns of the Philippines. Bureau of Printing, Manila, 555 pp.
Darnaedi, D. & L. Clayton (2020). The Nantu Platycerium grande (Polypodiaceae), a new generic record of Platycerium in Sulawesi, Indonesia. Reinwardtia 19(2): 81–85. https://doi.org/10.14203/REINWARDTIA.V1912.3860
Darnaedi, D. & T.N. Praptosuwiryo (2003). Platycerium bifurcatum, pp. 157–159. In: de Winter, W.P. & V.B. Amoroso (eds.). Plant Resources of South-East Asia, Vol. 15(2) Cryptogams: Ferns and Fern Allies. Backhuys Publisher, Leiden, Netherlands.
DENR Administrative Order [DAO] No. 2017-11 (2017). Updated National List of Threatened Philippine Plants and Their Categories. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Philippines. http://www.denr.gov.ph, 30 pp.
Hennipman, E. & M.C. Roos (1982). A monograph of the fern genus Platycerium (Polypodiaceae). Verhandelingen der Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen, Afdeeling Natuurkunde, Tweede Reeks 80: 1–126.
Hoshizaki, B.J. (1972). Morphology and phylogeny of Platycerium species. Biotropica 4: 93–117.
Hoshizaki, B.J. & R. Moran (2001). Fern Grower’s Manual - 2nd Edition. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon, USA.
Hoshizaki, B.J. & M.C. Price (1990). Platycerium update. American Fern Journal 80: 53–69.
Hovenkamp, P., G. de Joncheere & K.U. Kramer (1998). Flora Malesiana: Series II – Ferns and fern allies, vol. 3. Nationaal Herbarium Nederland, Leiden, The Netherlands, 387pp.
Kreier, H.P. & H. Schneider (2006). Phylogeny and biogeography of the staghorn fern genus Platycerium (Polypodiaceae, Polypodiidae). American Journal of Botany 93(2): 217–225. https://doi.org/10.3732/ajb.93.2.217
Lee, Y.H. (1989). Development of mantle leaves in Platycerium bifurcatum (Polypodiaceae). Plant Systematics and Evolution 165: 199–209.
Mangaoang, C.C. & C.J.A. Gumban (2020). New distribution record of the endemic and critically endangered Giant Staghorn Fern Platycerium grande (Fee) Kunze (Polypodiaceae) in Central Mindanao. Journal of Threatened Taxa 12(10): 16368–16372. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.5486.12.10.16368-16372
Madulid, D.A. (1985). Status of plant systematic collections in the Philippines. In: Sohmer, S.H. (ed.). Forum on Systematic Resources in the Pacific, 2003. B.P. Bishop Museum Special Publication. 74: 71–74.
MENRE-BARMM (2021). State of the Environment Report. Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy (MENRE) MENRE, Philippines, 102 pp.
Ong, P.S., L.E. Afuang & R.G. Rosell-Ambal (eds.) (2002). Philippine Biodiversity Conservation Priorities: A Second Iteration of the National Biodiversity strategy and Action Plan. Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau, Conservation International Philippines, Biodiversity Conservation Program-University of the Philippines Center for Integrative and Development Studies, and Foundation for the Philippine Environment, Quezon City, Philippines, 113 pp.
Pelser, P.B., J.F. Barcelona & D.I. Nickrent (eds.) (2011 onwards). Co’s Digital Flora of the Philippines. www.philippineplants.org
Poremski, S. & N. Biedinger (2001). Epiphytic ferns for sale: influence of commercial plant collection on the frequency of Platycerium stemaria (Polypodiaceae) in coconut plantations on the southeastern Ivory Coast. Plant Biology (Stuttgart) 3: 72–76. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2001-11752
POWO (2024). Platycerium grande (Fée) C.Presl. Plants of the World Online. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. https://powo.science.kew.org/ Accessed on 27.x.2025.
Republic Act No. 9147 (2001). Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act. Government of the Philippines. https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2001/07/30/republic-act-no-9417/ Accessed on 27.x.2025.
Published
Versions
- 27-11-2025 (2)
- 26-11-2025 (1)
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Marylene M. Demapitan, Roxane B. Sombero, Datu Muhaymin C. Abo, Nof A. Balabagan, Cherie Cano-Mangaoang
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors own the copyright to the articles published in JoTT. This is indicated explicitly in each publication. The authors grant permission to the publisher Wildlife Information Liaison Development (WILD) Society to publish the article in the Journal of Threatened Taxa. The authors recognize WILD as the original publisher, and to sell hard copies of the Journal and article to any buyer. JoTT is registered under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY), which allows authors to retain copyright ownership. Under this license the authors allow anyone to download, cite, use the data, modify, reprint, copy and distribute provided the authors and source of publication are credited through appropriate citations (e.g., Son et al. (2016). Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) of the southeastern Truong Son Mountains, Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam. Journal of Threatened Taxa 8(7): 8953–8969. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.2785.8.7.8953-8969). Users of the data do not require specific permission from the authors or the publisher.
