![]() ![]() Grasses are the dominant plants in a prairie. Grasses have narrow leaves and soft stems. Forbs are plants with soft stems and broad leaves, like wildflowers. Prairies are a mixture of grasses and forbs. When these conditions developed about 8,300 years ago, the tallgrass prairie became a major part of the Illinois landscape. Climate in prairies is characterized by hot, dry summers and cold winters. Weather conditions in Illinois over thousands of years helped determine that prairies would exist in the state. One of the glaciers traveled almost as far south as the location of present-day Carbondale. Four major glaciers have covered parts of Illinois during its past, the last about 12,000 years ago. The movement of glaciers through what is now Illinois shaped the land. Most of the land in the northern two-thirds of Illinois is flat. The prairies in Illinois receive enough rainfall to support trees, but frequent fires eliminate tree species before they can become established. Most North American prairies are in locations with a low amount of annual rainfall. These areas have a dry or cold season that kills the plants. Prairies usually form on level or smoothly rolling landscapes. Grasslands are the largest habitat in North America. Its name comes from the French word for "meadow." You may have heard of the steppes in Asia, the pampas in South America or the veldt in Africa.
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