—— em 
FLORA OF TIBET OR HIGH ASIA. 251 
Out of forty-one natural orders fourteen, or just over a third, 
are represented by only one genus and one species each. Fifteen 
other natural orders comprise 83 genera and 234 species, or, 
approximately, 70 per cent. and 82:7 per cent. respectively of 
the total number of genera and species. We have little infor- 
mation on the relative individual abundance of the species of the 
predominating natural orders and genera, but such remarks as 
“common” and “ rare,”’ and “only seen once” are attached to 
soine of the specimens and are reproduced in our Enumeration ; 
and it may perhaps be a legitimate inference that the natural 
orders most numerous in genera and species constitute the 
greater part of the vegetation. Admitting this, the following 
figures should enable us to picture, if only imperfectly, the 
appearance of the vegetation of the country, always bearing in 
mind that certain species grow gregariously, whilst others grow 
sporadically. For instance, many species of Saussurea occur as 
solitary individuals; Thylacospermum forms large tufts; some 
species of Alliwm grow in large masses, and grasses, generally 
speaking, form a continuous carpet, though some of the Tibetan 
Species grow intufts. The fifteen natural orders preponderating 
both in genera and species are :— 
Orders. Genera. Species. 
Ranunculacee ........ 8= 67 per cent. 19= 677 per cent. 
Cruciferae .........6.. 15 126 26 «92 
Caryophyllacee ...... 5 42 ll 39 
Leguminose..... teaee OF 42 18 63 
Rosaceze ... 0... ec eee 2 17 7 24 
Saxifragacee ........ 2 17 7 24 
Crassulacee ...... e-re or 10 35 
Composite ......66. 13 il 53 18°7 
Primulaces .......... 3 25 7 24 
Gentianacee ........ 2 17 10 35 
Scrophulariaceew ...... 3 25 8 28 
Labiate ............ 4 33 10 35 
Polygonacew ........ 2 17 9 31 
Cyperaceze ......005- 3 25 9 31 
Graminee .......... 14 117 30 106 
Totals : 15 83 234 
