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About this Species
Much artistic license was taken with the Forest Floor series, and composition often won out over biological correctness, However, here are a few of the species Kathryn chose to honour in this painting:
Red Huckleberry
This evergreen shrub has small delicate rounded leaves, and produces bright red berries which are eaten by many forest species in the summer and fall.
Sword Fern
The sword fern, Polystichum munitum, is am evergreen fern native to western North America. This fern grows in the understory of coniferous forests in BC, and is adapted to thrive in moist soil and cool temperatures. The individual fronds live for up to 2 years. The sword fern is named because the lobes of the pinna (small leaves within the frond) resemble the hilt of a sword. This plant was used by the Coast Salish peoples as a topical pain reliever.
Western Redcedar
This large evergreen tree has huge cultural and ecological importance in the Pacific Northwest. It has distinctive overlapping scale-like needles and soft bark in vertical strips. These trees grow in moist, shaded areas and can live for thousands of years.
Fly Agaric Mushroom
Amanita muscaria grows in many deciduous and coniferous forests in the Pacific Northwest. Its distinctive red mushroom caps are speckled with white. Although beautiful, it is poisonous and hallucinogenic to humans.
All images remain copyright © Kathryn Beals.