1894I The Flora of the Peace River Region. 115 



THE FLORA OF THE PEACE RIVER REGION. 



By James M. Macoun. 



There is perhaps no part of Canada in which a greater 

 diversity of plants is to be found than in the Peace River region. 

 Though the number of species is surprisingly small, yet plants 

 characteristic of an arid climate may be found within a few miles 

 of those requiring wet, almost boreal, conditions and a wonderful 

 display of gorgeous prairie flowers may be seen within a few yards 

 of the typical flora of the sub-arctic forest. 



For the purposes of this short paper the words '' Peace River 

 Region " will refer only to the district drained by about one hun- 

 dred miles of the Peace River, that is, the country north and south 

 of that river between Peace River Landing and a point about forty 

 miles above Dunvegan. In other words the region bounded on 

 the south and north by Lat 55° and Lat. 57% and on the east and 

 west by Long. 117" and Long. 119*^. This includes the whole of 

 the area usually meant when the *' Peace River Region " is spoken 

 of. Westward from this district the country rises gradually to 

 the Rocky Mountains, the Peace River taking its rise far to the 

 northwest in British Columbia. From Peace River Landing the 

 river flows northeasterly to Lake Athabasca, passing through 

 what is known as the " Vermilion country." 



The Peace River flows through the district under discussion 

 in a deep valley, the bottom of which is from 700 to 1,000 feet, 

 or even more below the plateau. The valley itself averages about 

 three miles in width from rim to rim, the river flowing in sweep- 

 ing bends from one side of the valley to the other cutting into the 

 straight bank on one side while on the other a broad alluvial flat 

 is formed, as is usual with all western rivers. The north bank of 

 the valley is naturally warmer and drier than the south, as the full 

 force of the sun strikes it, and this fact and the presence of a well- 

 travelled trail on the north side accounts for the great difference 

 between the two sides of the river. Repeated fires have almost 

 wholly removed the forest, and the country between Peace River 

 Landing and Dunvegan is almost all prairie, about 400,000 acres in 

 all, while the south side is still clothed with forest. The extent of 

 agricultural land in the valley is not great as the plateau is 



