Awaken to the bright morning sun shining through the forest trees and lighting up the glittering tree ferns in the forest understory.

The large tree in this image is the Taraire - Beilschmedia taraire - found only in Northland and Auckland. Its trunk is partially covered with epiphytes - most likely the Fern Pyrrosia Pyrrosia serpens which produces masses of short oval shiny fronds (which look more like leaves than fronds), and some small Blechnums

In front of it the native White Pine or Kahikatea - Podocarpus dacrydioides. The Kahikatea is the tallest of the NZ trees, sometimes reaching a height of over 200 feet and frequently being branchless for 70 or 80 feet above the ground. It finds its true habitat on the damp West Coast of the South Island, where it can drink its fill from the boggy coastal soils.

Acrylic on canvas board. Overall size 12" x 16".

Sold - NZAFA Wellington, NZ.