Shone Farm #3

Much has changed since the deluge ended in March. The ground had time to absorb water and retains it in some places near the surface. Mosquitos are taking advantage of the residual damp and increasing heat, reproducing en masse. Their wings are audible most of the visit and my next trip to Shone might be earlier, when there are more daytime cues in the understory. Mixed hardwood conifer forest turns riparian at a stream intersection abundant with Trillium and Prosartes. Toxicodendron diverilobum has vastly diverse foliage; surprise, surprise. In cool, shaded patches the leaves are large and green - soaking up occasional rays, in full sun leaves shrink and pigment - deep red with a glistening sheen of urishol. In most species, phenological development is geared towards producing fruits! Flowering is still in large effect and seed pods are becoming as equally as evident as floral appendages. It's refreshing to walk on conifer and oak leaves and aid in decomposition. The detritus is fragrant with the warm day and mild precipitation. New growth is vigorous in the understory and much of the herbaceous material has evidence of forage from animals and insects alike. Herbarium specimens collected from some prolific species.

Posted on April 12, 2017 11:45 PM by calicanthus