Image 1 of 15
Image 2 of 15
Image 3 of 15
Image 4 of 15
Image 5 of 15
Image 6 of 15
Image 7 of 15
Image 8 of 15
Image 9 of 15
Image 10 of 15
Image 11 of 15
Image 12 of 15
Image 13 of 15
Image 14 of 15
Image 15 of 15
About this Species
Much artistic license was taken with the Forest Floor series, and composition often won out over botanical accuracy, However, here are a few of the species Kathryn chose to honour in this painting:
Deer
These large, herbivorous mammals have adapted to a wide range of habitats in north America. Their four stomachs are adapted to forage for many different plants and fungi that humans are unable to eat. After their death, their bodies give back nutrients and cover to a wide range of species on the forest floor.
Deer Fern
This low-growing fern is native to the Pacific Northwest, and is an important winter foraging food for the deer of the coastal areas.
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.
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.
Coralroot Orchid
These pink and white orchid flowers do not photosynthesize like most plants - they instead use nutrients from mycorrhyzal fungi, in a process known as myco-heterotrophy. As a result of this process, the strange, beautiful Corallorhiza flowers have never been successfully cultivated and can only be enjoyed on the forest floor.
All images remain copyright © Kathryn Beals.