According to Wikipedia: "In forestry and ecology, understory comprises plant life growing beneath the forest canopy without penetrating it to any great extent, but above the forest floor. Only a small percentage of light penetrates the canopy so understory vegetation is generally shade tolerant. The understory typically consists of trees stunted through lack of light, other small trees with low light requirements, saplings, shrubs, vines and undergrowth. Small trees such as holly and dogwood are understory specialists.

In temperate deciduous forests, many understory plants start into growth earlier than the canopy trees to make use of the greater availability of light at this time of year. A gap in the canopy caused by the death of a tree stimulates the potential emergent trees into competitive growth as they grow upwards to fill the gap. These trees tend to have straight trunks and few lower branches. At the same time, the bushes, undergrowth and plant life on the forest floor become more dense. The understory experiences greater humidity than the canopy, and the shaded ground does not vary in temperature as much as open ground. This causes a proliferation of ferns, mosses and fungi and encourages nutrient recycling, which provides favorable habitats for many animals and plants."

So, break out your "understory" pictures from all the seasons and share them here in this challenge...

Here are a few of mine from the earliest part of 2017 - more to follow!

These have probably been aroud before but I believe that they fit right in on this Challenge.

Wild garlic, found in humid land and in hardwood forests, often close to a river or Stream. Up here they pop out in early May and we harvest ( only what we need, max. 50 plants) starting from about May 12 - 15 and the maple leaves are not out yet but as soon as they pop out the garlic leaves die off. They are protected as it takes seven years to regenerate.

I have a few places but I visit only those where access is difficult as what we call ''town people'' won't go. Thier places are guarded as top secret here..... I (l) tell my bro-in-law (ll) and he tells his neighbour (lll) that makes one hundred and eleven who will know....

According to Wikipedia: "In forestry and ecology, understory comprises plant life growing beneath the forest canopy without penetrating it to any great extent, but above the forest floor. Only a small percentage of light penetrates the canopy so understory vegetation is generally shade tolerant. The understory typically consists of trees stunted through lack of light, other small trees with low light requirements, saplings, shrubs, vines and undergrowth. Small trees such as holly and dogwood are understory specialists.

In temperate deciduous forests, many understory plants start into growth earlier than the canopy trees to make use of the greater availability of light at this time of year. A gap in the canopy caused by the death of a tree stimulates the potential emergent trees into competitive growth as they grow upwards to fill the gap. These trees tend to have straight trunks and few lower branches. At the same time, the bushes, undergrowth and plant life on the forest floor become more dense. The understory experiences greater humidity than the canopy, and the shaded ground does not vary in temperature as much as open ground. This causes a proliferation of ferns, mosses and fungi and encourages nutrient recycling, which provides favorable habitats for many animals and plants."

So, break out your "understory" pictures from all the seasons and share them here in this challenge...

Here are a few of mine from the earliest part of 2017 - more to follow!