Documentation of Biota West of the Mississippi River

From Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail:

One of Thomas Jefferson’s goals for the Expedition was to document much of what the men encountered throughout this newly acquired section of North America. In today’s Lewis and Clark 101 post, we’ll look at the plants and animals documented along the journey. 

The Captains wrote about and described at least 120 mammals, birds, reptiles and fish during the 28-month journey, many of which had not been documented before. They seemed to be most amazed at the bison, the grizzly bears and the tiny black-tailed prairie dogs (one was captured and sent back alive to President Jefferson).

Over 180 plant species were recorded and collected, including information about habitat, growth and uses by the American Indians.
The explorers discovered about 80 species new to science, including future state flowers for Oregon, Idaho and Montana. Their collections formed the basis for the first major scientific publication that described and illustrated the plants west of the Mississippi River.

Clearly, the Expedition was more than a sightseeing mission to satisfy the curiosity of the new nation – it was one of scientific exploration.

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