Undersward

A sward or turf shaded by trees or other plants of some size. A grassy patch of ground growing under trees, like the ground cover in the woods.
Sward comes from old English and Germanic root meaning rind or skin.

As evening approached the owl watched from his perch in the oak for the tiniest twitch of a blade of grass in the undersward that would give away any mouse hiding there.

by yehudl October 29, 2011