Microsorum punctatum ‘Grandiceps’ (Elkhorn Fern) on 10-24-11, #83-8.
Elkhorn Fern, Dwarf Elkhorn Fern, Climbing Bird’s Nest Fern, Terrestrial Elkhorn Fern, Fishtail Strap Fern, Fishtail Fern…
Microsorum punctatum
‘Grandiceps’
my-kroh-SOR-um punk-TAH-tum
Syn.
Polypodium punctatum
pol-ee-PODE-ee-um punk-TAH-tum
Syn.
Polypodium grandiceps
pol-ee-PODE-ee-um GRAN-dee-keps
Synonyms of Microsorum punctatum (57) (Updated on 12-23-23 from Plants of the World Online): To view the list of synonyms on POWO click HERE.
Microsorum punctatum (L.) Copel. is the accepted scientific name for this species of Microsorum. It was named and described as such by Edwin Bingham Copeland in the University of California Publications in Botany in 1929. It was first named and described as Acrostichum punctatum by Carl von Linnaeus in the second volume of the first edition of Species Plantarum in 1753.
Now a synonym, Polypodium punctatum (L.) Sw. was the last name I had this plant listed as. This is the species this plant is commonly sold as at garden centers and online. It was described as such by Olof Peter Swartz in Journal für die Botanik in 1800 and 1801.
The genus, Microsorum Link, was named and described by Johann Heinrich Friedrich Link in Hortus Regius Botanicus Berolinensis in 1833.
As of 12-23-23 when this page was last updated, Plants of the World Online lists 33 species in the Microsorum genus. It is a member of the plant family Polypodiaceae with 66 genera. Those numbers could change as updates are made on POWO.
I am not sure when the “last” official name change took place, but this species has flopped around mainly between Microsorum punctatum (L.) Copel. and Polypodium punctatum (L.) Sw. It is still commonly sold at garden centers under the name Polypodium punctatum AND Polypodium grandiceps. I have switched the names back and forth several times… Polypodium grandiceps is somehow an “unplaced” name… Ummm… From 1888. Somehow the species name became a cultivar name. Very good!
Three other species of ferns were named Polypodium punctatum by other authors which have been moved to other genera. They all have “typical ferny fronds” instead of the strap-like fronds of this species… There are MANY species of ferns throughout much of the world that were given different names by different botanists. Then there are those, as in Polypodium punctatum, where the same name was given to several entirely different plants. Many species of ferns have MULTIPLE (understatement) synonyms. Like this one with 50…
Polypodium punctatum Thunb.=Hypolepis punctata (Thunb.) Mett.
Polypodium punctatum Spruce (or Spruce ex Hook)=Stigmatopteris lechleri (Mett.) C.Chr.
Polypodium punctatum Hook.=Grammitis punctata Raddi
THERE ARE A FEW LINKS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE FOR FURTHER READING.
Microsorum punctatum ‘Grandiceps’ (Elkhorn Fern) on the Cypress shelf in the kitchen at the mansion on 7-2-12, #105-6.
I brought my Dwarf Elkhorn Fern home from Lowe’s in Greenville, Mississippi in October 2011. I was living at the mansion in Leland at the time and was enjoying collecting plants. I am not sure how many times I have changed the scientific name of this plant…
Microsorum punctatum ‘Grandiceps’ (Elkhorn Fern) at 10″ tall x 22″ wide on 10-28-12, #125-18. It was in the parlor of the mansion for a photoshoot.
USEFUL INFORMATION:
Family: Polypodiaceae.
Zones: USDA Zones 10b-11 (35 to 40° F).
Size: 18-24” tall and wide.
Light: Part to full shade.
Soil: Consistently moist.
There isn’t much online about caring for this species. I kept my Elkhorn Fern, or whatever you choose to call it, on the cypress shelf I made in the kitchen at the mansion beside the Staghorn Fern. They both had similar requirements and received morning sun and shade the rest of the day. I saved rainwater for my Elkhorn and Staghorn Fern and normally immersed their pots in a bowl of water whenever they needed it. Their soil should not dry out completely. They prefer dappled shade to part shade and their leaves will burn if in too much sun. I didn’t take them outside during the summer like most of the other plants.
I had no problems with this fern but I gave it to a good friend of mine when I moved back to the family farm in mid-Missouri in February 2013. Someday I will bring home another Elkhorn Fern when I have adequate conditions.
I hope you enjoyed this page and maybe found it useful. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, I would like to hear from you. Please click on “like” if you visited this page. It helps us bloggers stay motivated. 🙂 You can check out the links below for further reading. The links take you directly to the genus and species of this plant.
The Belmont Rooster 
You said mansion a lot, it almost put me off finishing the article.
LikeLike
Well, it was a very large house not actually a mansion. It was called The Mystical Mansion by the lady who bought it that I worked for who died. I started my first blog called the Mystical Mansion and Garden so I always called the big house a mansion. Thanks for visiting and thanks for the comment.
LikeLike
I, on the other hand, found it both amusing & charming that you used “mansion” with ease and aplomb. It added a dimension to your words that seemed to suit the serious tone of your discussion.
You are quite right, there isn’t much information available on this plant, and also confusion prevails . . .
Thank you for a personal and helpful acount of your experience,
Juan.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hello Juan! You are welcome and thanks for the comment!
LikeLike
Hi live in Aust. N.Q. Just potted up two. It seems hard to get names you can count on. J.K.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hello J.K.! Very true about the names! I hope you are enjoying ferns, whatever you are supposed to call them. 🙂 Take care and thanks for the comment!
LikeLike