Staghorn is the name of about 20 species of ferns, mainly from moist, tropical regions. The ferns get their name from the antlerlike shape of the main leaf fronds. There is also another type of leaf that is flat or bowl-shaped and grows out from the base of the plant. These leaves collect water. The main leaves contain the reproductive spores.
Staghorn ferns are epiphytes–that is, they grow on other plants but do not obtain food from them. They grow mainly on trees and logs, but also on rocks. Staghorns are cultivated as house and conservatory plants throughout the world.
