Tree Spirit?
Before my visit to Sica (shee-chah) Hollow in northeast South Dakota, I was warned by the State Parks website that "Sioux legends of Sica Hollow recall mysterious happenings, and you can still feel the eerie spell today." Actually I was looking forward to it (of course) and when I saw this curious shadow I suspected a Spirit was lurking close by, maybe even riding on my shoulder!Just kidding, sorry. The shadows on the bark were cast by tattered leaves of a nearby sapling. But I was still pleased. It was American Basswood, one of several new trees I met on the trip.
Tattered basswood leaves and their shadows.
Native range of Tilia americana; added red dot is Sica Hollow, black dot is Laramie, Wyoming where I live (USGS digitized "Atlas of US Trees").
"TILIA AMERICANA. American Linden." by Isaac Sprague; courtesy BHL on Flickr.
Tilia americana flowers in spring, with distinctive leafy bracts; from the wonderful Tree Library.
Hiking in this basswood–maple forest was a new experience. It's hard to photograph a tree when there are so many and the canopy is so thick ... not something I'm used to.American Basswood—trunk on right; green (not tinged red) leaves lower center.