THE KUBAM YALLEY, ETC., AFGHANISTAN. 11 



the Shendtoi valley, Prunus Jacquemontii and Berchemia, sp., are 

 very characteristic. On the left bank of the Shendtoi river, at 

 the mouth of the valley, lies the village of Katskalle, consisting of 

 some fifteen to twenty houses. Owing to the limited supply of 

 water iu the river during the hot months, much of the land here 

 lies uncultivated, and ruins of villages are to be seen scattered 

 about. The bed of the stream here has an altitude of nearly 

 6800 feet. The entrance up the valley leads through a deep 

 narrow gorge with overhanging precipitous cliffs of great height, 

 consisting chiefly of limestone and slate. Here, on the right 

 bank of the stream, the rocks are seen covered with moss-like 

 masses of Selaginella sanguinolenta, Dionysia tapetodes, both 

 Siberian types, a new Saxifraga, Aster Amellus, prominent from 

 its large white flowers ; and, hanging from the crevices in bunches, 

 a luxuriant undescribed grass (Avena oligostachya, Munro, MS.). 



As the valley widens largish trees of the walnut in a wild state 

 occur, and with it Euonymus Jimbriatus, Bhamnus purpureus 

 and B. dahuricus, Fothergilla, Staphylea emodi, and Syringa 

 emodi, with pure white flowers. It is curious to note that the last- 

 named plant occupies always a higher position than its congener 

 8. persica, and that the two never seem to mingle. At about 8000 

 feet, Prunus Padus, Taxus baccata, Pinus excelsa, Abies Smithiana, 

 and Quercus Ilex begin to form a forest. At 9000 feet Quercus 

 Ilex disappears, to be replaced by Q. semecarpifolia, which in this 

 valley attains to a great size. There is one tree lying cut close 

 to the old encampment of the 23rd Pioneers, which measured 18feet 

 in circumference and 100 feet in length before any considerable 

 branch was given off. 



On the ridges the forest is increased by Abies Webbiana ; no 

 Deodar or Juniperus excelsa occur in this valley. Frorn 8000 to 

 10,000 feet the valley is characterized by the number of its ferns, 

 signifying a certain humidity of climate not to be met with in any 

 other part of the country visited. The following frequently occur : 

 — Cystopteris frag His, Asplenium septentrionale, A. viride, A. Tri- 

 chomanes, A. various, A.fontanum. The most remarkable Fern col- 

 lected, however, was Nephrodium rigidum, Desv., which now for the 

 first time has been undoubtedly proved to be an Afghan form. 

 This is here very profuse under the shelter of trees or between 

 large boulders. At an elevation of 10,000 feet, Aspidium Pres- 

 cottianum and Nephrodium barbigerum are not uncommon ; the 

 form of the latter which occurs here seems to unite the two 

 species If. barbigerum and JW. Brunonianum. On the rocks occa- 



