Ferns and Horsetail Under Beech Leaves

Layers of fern fronds fill the lower half of the frame, feathery and finely cut, with a paler, bristly drift of horsetail softening the lower left corner. A branch of broad, toothed leaves arcs in from the right, sharp against the darker growth behind it. Slender trunks rise into shade at the top of the picture, and the canopy beyond is dense. The light is soft and even, with no bright patches, so the greens carry the whole scene. They run from yellow-green on the nearest leaves to a deep blue-green in the background. The mood is quiet, damp and enclosed.

The scene comes from Gullmarsskogen nature reserve in Lysekil Municipality, on Sweden's west coast. The caption names European beech, ostrich fern and wood horsetail. Beech casts heavy shade, so the plants beneath it tend to be shade-tolerant. Ostrich ferns grow in shuttlecock-shaped clusters and spread by underground runners. Horsetails are ancient spore-bearing plants with jointed, hollow stems and no true flowers or seeds. With no single focal point, the image works well on a widescreen desktop monitor, where icons stay readable over the even texture.

More like this: Canyon Forest Seen from a Mossy Limestone Edge.