DESCRIPTION OF JACKSON COUNTY vii 



the woods, especially of the northern part of the county, Circaea Lutetiana, 

 leucrium Canadense, Impatiens biflora and aurea, Claytonia Virginico, 

 Isopyrum biternatum, Erythronium albidum, Viola scabriuscula and Viola 

 cuspidata, Rudbeckia triloba, Eupatorium maculatum, Agrimonia mollis, 

 Vernonia interior, Muhlenbergia diffusa, various species of Polygonum and 

 Meibomia, Podophyllum peltatum, Sanicula Canadensis, and several species 

 of asters and goldenrods may be mentioned as characteristic species. 



The Blue and the Little Blue and their tributaries have cut down 

 through the limestone rock prevalent in the western part, and the out- 

 croppings of these limestone rocks, especially abundant in the south- 

 western part, form our barrens. The limestone is usually covered by a 

 thin layer of rich soil, which is moist in spring, but later on becomes 

 dried out. These barrens are either bare of trees or covered by small 

 scrub and are bounded on one side by the rocky bluffs of the creeks and 

 on the other usually separated from the prairies by the scrub-oak woods. 

 In these barrens many typical prairie plants occur, while other plants 

 appear which are met with in no other place. Of the latter Ophioglossum 

 Engelmanni, Specularia leptocarpa, Mentzelia oligosperma, Euphorbia Arkan- 

 sana, Sedum pulchellum, Valerianella stenocarpa, Chaerophyllum Texanum and 

 Bouteloua curtipendula may be mentioned. The rocky woods adjoining 

 these barrens are chiefly remarkable for the vast number of individuals 

 of some species which they contain. Here Ratibida pinnata, Cassia C/ia- 

 maecrista and Helianthus hirsutus often give a yellow appearance to the 

 landscape. It is in these barrens and the woods adjoining that many 

 species of asters and goldenrods find their home. 



The prairie region may be roughly divided into the high and the low 

 prairies. Unfortunately for the botanist the high prairie is so fertile and 

 easy of cultivation that very little of it now remains in its natural state, 

 the best being found in the Missouri Pacific right of way, both north and 

 south of Lee's Summit. Typical prairie plants are Brauneria pallida, Lad- 

 nariapycnostachya, Viola delphinifolia, Rudbeckia subtomentosa, Meibomia Illi- 

 noemis, several species of Silphium and Helianthus, Petalostemon candidus, 

 Petalostemon purpureus, Andropogon furcatus, Andropogon scoparius, Trip- 

 sacum dactyloides, Erythronium mesachoreum, Allium mutabile and Trad- 

 escantia reflexa. Great rarities are Polygala incarnata and Dodecatheon 

 Meadia. 



The low prairie region is chiefly found along Fire Prairie Creek, along 

 portions of the Little Blue, and sparingly along the Blue. Here Vernonia 

 fasciculata, Spartina cynosuroides, Rosa setigera. Asdepias Sullivantii, Koellia 

 fl< xuosa and many species of sedges abound. 



Besides these main subdivisions there are several localities of especial 

 interest. Thus in the Sni-a-bar Creek region, Polemonium reptans is very 

 abundant. In the northeastern part of the county Iva ciliata abounds, and 

 in the southwestern, Helianthus orgyalis. About four miles southeast of 

 Grain Valley, there are some sandy woods where Zizia cordata, Sfenophyl- 

 lus capillaris, Aristida gracilis, Lechea tenuifolia and Centunculus minimus 



