One of the many shell-leaved species in the genus, Dischidia platyphylla is endemic to the Philippines where it grows strictly as an epiphyte. Notable for the flat, oppositely arranged leaves that create small concave spaces where arboreal ants of the genus Crematogaster (not native to the USA) take up residence. The leaves of this species can get quite large if provided with plenty of height to climb and can reach sizes up to four inches in diameter. As with many shell-leaved Dischidia species, they are quite difficult to ID when sterile and a few are even difficult to ID with flowers present. Dischidia platyphylla happens to be one of the few that even when in flower, is often confused with the very closely related, D. imbricata. The easiest way to tell them apart is that the flowers of D. platyphylla have corolla lobes lined in purple whereas D. imbricata does not. The shell-leaved species do best grown on a support which provides them a surface to climb but they can be grown in a pot if the soil mix drains well. Pot grown specimens tend to have curled up leaves and don't display as nicely as a support grown specimen however.