Experiments

ECOPHYSIOLOGY OF THE SILVER ELKHORN (Platycerium veitchii)

Participants: Joe Holtum (JCU), Jack Christopher (UQ), Luke Hendrickson (ANU), Gitte Hörst, Lea Keto, Brad Maygar.

Project: To investigate the expression of CAM photosynthesis in Platycerium veitchii, one of two species of elkhorn fern that are lithophytes (live mainly on rocks), and to explore plant growth and CAM expression in relation to habitat.

Progress: Platycerium veitchii performs very low-level CAM (Holtum and Winter 1999). On the shifting exposed granite boulder scree slopes near Townsville, where it tends to inhabit the edges of patches of vine thicket, P. veitchii grows from cracks between rocks and forms communal nests that store water and nutrients and reduce heat stress (Keto et al 1995).