146 SURG.-MAJ. J, E. T. AITCHISON ON THE FLORA OF 
Mamirân. Im the birch-forests of the Malána valley, at an eleva- 
tion of nearly 10,000 feet, Aralia cachemirica, an eastern form, was 
common, and with it Zrilliun Govanianum, Actea spicata, and 
Aspidium Filiz-fomina—2ll of which were not collected last year. 
On the ascent to the Nangrár Pass, at 11,000 feet, I picked up a 
couple of specimens of Campanula aristata. On the pass itself, 
chiefly, however, on the southern exposure, the main ridge was 
covered with a dense turf made up mainly of Kobresia schamoides 
and K. scirpina ; and with them, but also extending to the west 
base of Mount Síka-rám, keeping to the same altitude, was 
Papaver nudicaule, with its brilliant orange-golden flowers, in 
greatluxuriance. In the same turf, but in hollows where mois- 
ture collected, Polygonum Bistorta was found in abundance—the 
typical large-leaved form, as well as intermediate varieties down to 
a miniature state, though always with a thick distorted rootstock. 
It was not collected further west. In the Darbán valley, at 8500 
feet, with a northern exposure, the vegetation was more of a West- 
Himalayan type, and corresponded to that met with at Murree 
at 7500 feet. 'The ivy was here first noticed supporting itself 
on the trunks of trees, this habit, no doubt, indicating the pre- 
sence of more moisture. Habenaria brachyphylla was common 
in rich loam at the roots of some trees. Rhododendron afyhani- 
cum seems to be limited to the outer parts of the Shend-toí and 
Darbán valleys. 
Vegetation of the Haridb District. 
The ridges of Mount Síka-rám above S000 feet, where not 
covered with forest, present an extremely barren aspect, compared 
with similar heights in the Saféd-koh range, where grasses 
and green soft herbs and low shrubs form meadows, or what 
at a little distance look like them; whereas in the Hariáb 
district the soil is barren, and the herbs and shrubs that do 
exist are of a hard spinous nature, sparingly scattered over the 
stony soil. In addition to these spinous forms, Umbellifere are 
frequently met with ; and thus the characteristic Afghan flora 
becomes more apparent. There collected :—8 species of Cousinia, 
4 of which are new; 4 species of Acantholimon, all probably 
new ; 6 species of Onobrychis, 4 of which are new ; 27 species 
of Astragalus, 10 of which are new; 3 species of Scabiosa, 1 of 
