394 MR. M. P. PRICE ON THE VEGETATION OF 
Aconitum sp. were found. This flora continued all the way to the summit. 
At 6500 feet Kosa spinosissima was seen. Both Larch and Siberian Pine 
reached the summit in a creeping form, and there were many places where 
dead logs of trees were lying. 
The. southern slopes of the Tannu-ola mountains between the Mongol guard 
posts of ** Borgitaita ” and * Bogdhonholat?" were bare, and covered with 
plateau-desert flora. There were two distinct subdivisions of this association 
here, one of which was characterised by Caragana arborescens and Cotoneaster 
melanocarpa. The other subdivision lay in those parts more exposed to the 
sun, and was represented by Potentilla sericea, Spirwa hypericifolia, Arenaria 
capillaris, Stipa capillata, Oxytropis tragacanthoides, Chenopodium frutescens, 
Anemone Bungeana. 
The North-West Mongolian plateau between the Tannu-ola mountains and 
the Great or Chinese Altai range presents a large tableland stretching north 
and south some 300 miles and averaging some 5000 feet in altitude. Both 
of these ranges of mountains converge westwards into the complex Siberian 
Altai system. The level of the plateau is lowest round the evaporating 
basins, and at Lake Ubsa sinks to 2270 feet, while at Achit Nor it is about 
4000 feet. There are many lofty ranges and disjointed mountain masses on 
this plateau running up to 13,000 feet. The first of these ranges, which the 
expedition came to after crossing the Tannu-ola mountains, ran from north- 
west to south-east, and joined the western extremity of the Tannu-ola near 
the point where it converged into the Siberian Altai system. The river 
draining from this range into Lake Ubsa was called by the natives the 
Saklya River, and hence the name of Saklya mountains was given to the 
range from which it sprang. It was found that the floral association of 
the plateau-desert in the valley of the Saklya River, between 4000 and 
6500 feet, contained plateau-desert type represented by Artemisia argyrefolia, 
Anemone ltegeliana, Arenaria capillaris, and Caragana spinosa. Between 
6000 and 7500 feet there were patches of Larch forest with its accompanying 
association, represented by Aconitum sp. and Spiraea. From 7300 to 9000 feet 
there was a large development of Alpine meadow with scattered peat-bogs. 
The characteristic flora here was represented by Eriophorum Scheuchzeri, 
Dracocephalum imberbe, Epilobium hirsutum, Savijraga melaleuca, Potentilla 
nivea, Erigeron uniflorus, Cerastium lithospermifolium, Carex melanantha, 
Senecio aurantiacus, AMyosotis sylvatica, Pedicularis versicolor, Primula 
nivalis. 
Crossing from the Saklya River into the valley of the Kundelun, which is 
also a western tributary of Lake Ubsa, the expedition traversed stony desert- 
plateau lying between 5500 and 6500 feet. All the way there was almost a 
complete absence of vegetation, and the only species met with were Stipa 
capillata and Agropyron cristatum. In some places only dry stems of 
Stipa capillata were seen, showing that the herb had grown earlier in the 
