256 MR. W. B. HEMSLEY ON THE 
It is clear from this summary that the bulk of the Tibetan 
plants have a wide range. This is more strongly emphasized by 
the fact that tifty-three species, or 18°7 per cent., occur in tive 
or more of the regions tabulated. Forty-seven species extend 
to the Arctic regions, and of these twenty-nine occur in Arctie 
Europe, Asia, and America. Against this very few are common 
to Tibet and the European Alps. 
The most noteworthy point in connection with the distribution 
of the species is the great prependerance of the Himalayan 
element, or rather of plants common to Tibet and the Himalayas, 
amounting to 217 species, or 76°6 per cent. of the whole. Out 
of these 217 species 119 are not recorded from Sikkim-Himalaya. 
Seventy-three species, or 25'8 per cent., are apparently restricted 
to Tibet and the Himalayas; but the almost unexplored 
mountains of Western China may yield some of these species. 
A glance down the table is sufficient to enable us to realize how 
very few species are restricted to Tibet aud any one other of the 
surrounding countries, as Mongolia or China, for example. 
Indeed our table shows only eight. 
Among plants of extraordinary distribution Mitraria Schobert 
is specially interesting. It is only reported from the Koko 
Nor district; but it is abundant in Mongolia, Siberia, Tur- 
kestan, Afghanistan, and Persia, and extends westward to 
Southern Russia and Egypt. It is also found in Upper 
Guinea and Australia, being widely dispersed in the latter 
country, where it occurs in all the colonies, usually inhabiting 
more or less saline districts. The fruit is a berry varying in 
colour from yellow through various shades of red and purple 
to black. It is greedily eaten by birds and various animals, even 
by the Tibetan bear, according to Maximowicz, who ascribes its 
presence in Australia to migratory birds. 
Saussurea alpina, Polygonum Bistorta, and Salix Lapponum, 
three very generally diffused plants in North temperate and arctic 
regions, are not recorded from the Himalayas. Myriophyllum 
verticillatum is not known to occur within the Arctic zone, 
though both I. spicatum aud M. alterniflorum reach Arcti¢e 
Europe and America. 
The plants common to the Alps of Europe and Tibet are:— 
Clematis alpina, Thalictrum alpinum, Draba alpina, D. flad- 
nitzensis, Oxy tropis lapponica, Potentilla fruticosa, P. multifida, 
