16 SFBG.-MAJ, J. E. T. AITCHISON ON THE FLOBA. OF 



turn (for the first time found east of Persia), Onopordum Acanthium 

 (an enormous thistle), and Solarium dulcamara (growing, as in Bri- 

 tain, through hedges) . On uncultivated clay-fields are found Matri- 

 caria disciformis, Carum Bulbocastanum, and a variety of the latter 

 (a favourite food of the wild pig,which is productive of much destruc- 

 tion to cultivated crops when it occurs plentifully amongst them), 

 Artemisia Toumefortii (remarkable for its tall Cannabis-like ap- 

 pearance), with Xanthium Strumarium. The uncultivated ridges 

 and plateaux of conglomerate formation in the open country are 

 covered with a scanty dwarf vegetation consisting of the follow- 

 ing : — Juniperus excelsa ; Amygdalus eburnea, occurring in great 

 clusters, and when in flower, the bushes being leafless at the 

 time, presenting a lovely mass of peach colour, and hence well 

 worth cultivating; Crataegus Oxycaniha, seen sometimes as a 

 good-sized tree, but then near villages or in fields ; Rosa JEccb, 

 several Berleris, the Daphne, Sopliora, and here both the forms of 

 Cotoneaster nummularia. JPhlomis Jcashmiriana, when in full bloom, 

 is extremely attractive. A Trichodesma, probably a new species, 

 has magnificent large blue borage-like flowers. Sophora alopecu- 

 roides is found in profusion, but only at one locality, and that near 

 Alikhel ; Scutellaria, no. 537, is very characteristic from its long 

 tubular yellow flowers tipped with purple ; Lactuca orientalis 

 and L. viminea are both very common and remarkable for their 

 woody and apparently leafless stems ; Cousinias are also com- 

 mon, C. racemosa being here the most frequent ; Aster altaicus, 

 Carduus acanthoides, Pterocephalus speciosus (a very handsome 

 plant), with Scabiosa Olivierii and Atractylis cuneata, are charac- 

 teristic, together with several Artemisice. 



Growing abundantly throughout this scrub-jungle, and readily 

 detected in the early spring from the vivid green of its leaves, and 

 later on by the brilliancy of its yellow flowers, is Eremurus au- 

 rantiacus, a plant which may be considered as the vegetable proper 

 of the Hariab district. Also growing among the roots of many 

 of these bushes are Anemone biflora with exquisite flowers, Arum 

 Griffithii, and, following them a little later in the season, Fritil- 

 laria imperialis, Tulipa stellata, and T. chrysantha, with several 

 Oageas, besides everywhere Isatis tinctoria. Near Biankhel, a 

 large village on the right bank of the Karaia about four miles to 

 the north-east of Alikhel, is a piece of meadow-land watered by 

 many springs, on which I found several localized plants •.— Gera- 

 nium, sp., no. 600, Gentiana aguatica?, Glaux maritima, Erythraa 



