DESCRIPTION OF JACKSON COUNTY Vll 



the woods, especially of the noithein part of the connty, Oircaea Luteiiana, 

 leuerium Canadense, Impatiens biflora and aurea, Claytonia Virginica, 

 Isopyrum biternatum, Erythroniwm albidum, Viola scabriuscula and Viola 

 cuspidata, Budbeckia triloba, Eupatorium maeulaium, Agrimonia mollis, 

 Vernonia interior, Muhlenbergia diffusa, various species of Polygonum and 

 Meibomia, Podophyllum peltatum, Sanieula Canadensis, and several species 

 of asters and goldenrods may be mentioned as characteristic speicies. 



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

 through the limestone rook 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 OpMoglossum 

 Engelmanni, Specularia leptocarpa, Mentzelia oligosperma, Euphorbia Arkan- 

 sana, Sedumpuleliellum, 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 Batibida pinnaia, Cassia Cha- 

 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, Laei- 

 nariapycnostaehya, Viola delphinifolia, Budbeckia subtomentosa, Meibomia Illi- 

 noensis, several species of Silphium and Helianthus, Petalostemon eandidus, 

 Petalostemon purpureas, Andropogon furcatus, Andropogon scoparius, Trip- 

 sacum dactyloides, Erythronium mesachoreum, Allium mutdbile and Trad- 

 escantia refiexa. Great rarities are Polygala incamata 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 

 fasdeulata, Spariina cynoauroides, Bosa setigera, Asclepias Sullivantii, Koellia 

 fli 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 eiliaia abounds, and 

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

 Grain Valley, there are some sandy woods where Zizia eordaia, Stenophyl- 

 lus capillaris, Aristida gracilis, Lechea tenuifolia and Centunculus minimus 



