In a forest of maturing Doug-fir and Mountain Hemlock, the lower branches have become shaded by the canopy above and died. These branches can be quite large in diameter, and come down with considerable force, earning them the nickname ‘widow maker’. In some instances, they come down like a javelin and become deeply impaled in the forest floor below. Here, we see one such branch, only recently embedded, and now being aggressively digested by colorful fungal mycelium. Wasson Creek Wilderness, Oregon Coast Range.
