OF ALPINE PLANTS IN THE CAUCASUS. 257 
of ten to twelve inches. At such heights the roots of such plants 
are remarkably closely tufted. We may mention a similar in- 
stance in this aspect of the roots of woody plants in deserts, the 
Transcaucasian for example, where they attain an extraordinary 
length. Only in this case the roots run far in the sand apart 
from each other, no doubt, to seek after the least particle of 
moisture which the arid soil has to offer. The various species of 
Tamarix, Haloxylon Ammodendron, and Zygophyllum display this ; 
but the most striking example which I ever saw was that of 
Prosopis Stephaniana, Willd., which, though hardly one foot 
high, sent out running roots of eight to ten feet in length. 
I am now in a position to give all wished-for information 
regarding any topic of discussion which this paper may give rise 
to, for the extensive herbarium which I have brought together in 
the course of twenty-five years, and recently augmented by the 
collections of the too early deceased Smirnow, are now arranged 
in the order of Boissier’s ‘Flora Orientalis,’ and the specimens 
poisoned, so that I have before me all the vouchers for the state- 
ments here given. In this communication I include all alpine 
Phanerogams of the Caucasus, and add the average and extreme 
altitudes at which hitherto they have been found. Down to 1885 
these heights were taken by myself with a barometer of Parrot’s 
construction, with the exception of 1876, when I worked with a 
large aneroid made by Goldschmitt. These heights were reduced 
in the topographical department of the General Staff of the Cau- 
casus at Tiflis. The heights measured in 1885 in Daghestan were 
taken with a Hottinger’s aneroid, and computed by Mr. Assafrey, 
of the Tiflis Physical Observatory. Observations from other 
sources are appended to mine. 
The following works have been laid under contribution :— 
Lepezour. ‘ Flora Rossica;’ in which, however, we only find 
the heights given in round numbers. 
C. A. Meyer. ‘ Verzeichniss der Pflanzen, &c.' St. Petersb., 
1831. In this also the values are given in round numbers 
in hexapods, or toises, —1:95 metr. =6°3976 English feet. 
Parrot. ‘Reise zum Ararat,’ Berlin, 1837; with the heights 
given in English feet. 
Boısster. ‘Flora Orientalis;’ the authority for the syste- 
matic order in which our herbarium is arranged, and to 
which I have appended the heights ascertained by me. 
Y 2 
