The Graceful Ferns of the North

The Yamas Track in the Waipuo forest was my first real exposure to the ferns of NZ.  I had seen ferns a few days before, but nothing like this.  Ferns of all types grow in spirals (I believe they are called fiddleheads for their resemblance to, well, a fiddle head).  The branch on this fern was thicker than my wrist and the spiral was far bigger than my hand.  The large spiral unrolls and forms the branches.  On these branches are more spirals and more spirals.  Eventually the leaves are reached and unspiral themselves unto the sun.