A Flora of Southern Illinois

Division Spermatophyta

Division Spermatophyta Class Gymnosper11lae 11. Pinaceae - Pine Family Pinus L. Pinus strobus L. (1:63). White Pine is not native to Southern Illinois , although a few stands occur in some of the northern counties of the state. A seedling about one foot tall was found growing in a dry, sandy woods at Giant City State Park. While the White Pine is planted extensively by the Forest Service in Southern Illinois, no plantation is close to this solitary plant. It is distinguished by its needles in groups of five. SP. CIT.: woods, Giant City State Park, M 317. Pinus echinata Mill. (1:65). Shortleaf Pine is not recorded as native to Jackson County, although it has its only Illinois stations in two of the counties adjacent to Jackson. The largest stand of the species occurs in the Pine Hills (Fig. 7) of Union County on limestone bluffs growing with Rhododendron roseum. About twenty or thirty large trees are present along Piney Creek in Randolph County, about one-half mile from the boundary between Jackson and Randolph counties. The habitats at both stations are very dry, sandy soil, and plants which grow with this pine are, for the most part, rare in other sections of Illinois. For instance, with the Shortleaf Pine along Piney Creek are found Ranunculus harveyi and Asplenium bradleyi. 12. Taxodiaceae - Bald Cypress Family Taxodium RICH. Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich. (1:66 ). Bald Cypress is one of the Gulf Coastal Plain species which is found in the southern tip of Illi56 FIG. 7. Limestone bluffs of the Pine Hills in Union County. Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) is more common at the edge of the bluffs while Yellow Pine (Pinus echinata) is found sparsely back from the edge of the bluffs in a few places. FIG. 8. Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) in a Pulaski County swamp. Photo talcen by Irvin Peithman. 58 13. CUPRESSACEAE-CYPRESS FAMILY nois (Fig. 8). It is thought (Palmer, 1921) that these species have not come into Southern Illinois by extending their ranges to the north but, on the contrary, are survivors of a great association of plants that flourished here in the remote past. At that time climatic conditions were much more favorable to these plants. This area is confined in Illinois mostly to Alexander, Pulaski, and Massac counties, although some of the species extend northward to Jackson County. Plants which may be classed in this group of Coastal Plain species include Giant Cane (Arundinaria gigantea), Overcup Oak (Quercus lyrata), Willow Oak (Quercus phellos), Swamp Red Maple (Acer drummondii ), Water Locust (Gleditsia aquatica ), and Water Elm (Planera aquatica), as well as several herbs, such as Rhexia mariana, Hypericum denticulatum, and Triadenum tubulosum. Bald Cypress attains a large size in swamps of Alexander and Pulaski counties, but in Jackson County, it grows only to a moderate height (25-28 m.) and is less frequently found. It is planted extensively by the Illinois State Highway Department. SP. CIT.: along a stream, Giant City State Park, M 1924. 13. Cupressaceae - Cypress Family Juniperus L. Juniperus virginiana L. var. crebra Fern. (1:68). The Red Cedar is a common inhabitant of the dry sandstone blufftops along the Shawneetown Ridge (Fig. 7). It forms a distinct community here with Post Oak (Quercus stellata), Black Jack Oak (Quercus marilandica ), and Winged Elm ( Ulmus alata) dominating over an understory of Poverty Oat Grass (Danthonia spicata), Lespedeza (Lespedeza stuvei), Whorled Milkweed (Asclepias verticillata), Hairy Ruellia (Ruellia humilis), and others. The species is also abundant on the limestone bluffs along the Mississippi and Big Muddy Rivers, often forming one of the borders of the hilltop prairies. It is extensively used as an ornamental in Southern Illinois. SP. CIT.: Midland Hills, McCree; Giant City State Park, M 1925; Grassy Knob, M 1971. I:;. SPARGANIACEAE-BUR-REED FAMILY 59 Class Angiosperrnae SUBCLASS MONOCOTYLEDONEAE 14. Typhaceae - Cat-tail Family Typha L. Typha latifolia L. (1:70 ). Common Cat-tail is a familiar plant in moist ground throughout the area. Leaves of this species exceed 1 cm. in width. Plants from the "marsh" north of Murphysboro sometimes attain a height of twelve feet. SP. CIT.: M 1911, M 1937. Narrowleaved Cat-tail (Typha angustifolia L.), (1:70) with leaves 4-8 mm. wide, is known from Williamson County around Crab Orchard Lake. 15. Sparganiaceae - Bur-reed Family Sparganium L. While no species of Bur-reed have been collected in Jackson County, two are known from Union...