THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELED
VNPS Jefferson Chapter Meeting: Tim Williams: Shale Barrens
April 8th, 7:30-9:00 pm, Education Building at Ivy Creek Natural Area, 1780 Earlysville Road, Charlottesville.
Much of Virginia west of the Shenandoah Valley is composed of Devonian age shale. Where the shale slopes face south, the daytime temperatures can exceed 120°F and moisture is exceedingly rare. These slopes are mostly barren of plant life and are given the name of Shale Barrens. Even so, there is a group of about 30 species of plants that occur mainly or exclusively on these barren slopes. Their closest relatives live in the deserts of Utah and the American Southwest.
Well-known local botanist Tim Williams features these plants in his presentation. They range from Asters to Clementis, pinks, umbels, mints, clover, wall flowers, evening primrose, and even ferns and club mosses.