132 MR. W. B. HEMSLEY ON PLANTS 
when we entered the mountainous region to the south of the 
Ts’aidan, to the 11th of August, when we descended to below 
the Timber line (13,500 feet above sea-level) on the Ramachu, 
where I ceased collecting plants, except such as the natives 
pointed out to me as being used by them either as food or 
medicinally, is shown in the following table :— 
1892. 7 AM. 2 P.M. 7 P.M. 
May 17 to 81... +37°5 F. +54°°6 F, +37°°3 F. 
June .......e.eee +35°7 +55°°9 +38°:3 
July eee +43°-0 +54°°6 +44°2 
Aug. ltoll ... +40°°6 +61°5 +47°°3 
“Nearly the whole of the region traversed in this interval 
was of sandstone formation, the predominating colour of which 
was bright red. The water was invariably brackish, and in many 
cases undrinkable; the soil everywhere sandy, or covered with 
a rather fine gravel, and occasionally a little clay. The grasses 
grew in bunches, nowhere forming a sod, except around the rare 
pools of pure water fed by the melting snows we occasionally 
passed. 
“T was careful to collect all the flowering plants I saw along 
my route, and the barrenness of this region may be judged by 
the very smail number I have brought home with me. 
‘The only edible plant we found in this country was a species 
of onton (Allium senescens)*, which grew in the sand in great 
quantities at altitudes higher than 15,000 ft. above sea-level, 
though we looked for it in vain below this level. 
“‘T may here remark that the rhubarb plant, which I found 
growing in enormous quantities on the north and north-eastern 
slopes of mountains on the Ich’u, Lench’u, and other feeders of 
the Jyama-nu cb’u, thrived at an altitude above sea-level ranging 
from 12,000 to 13,500 ft. I note this fact as Col. Przewalsky 
(Mongolia, ii. p. 84) says that this plant rarely flourishes at an 
elevation of more than 10,000 ft. above the level of the sea. 
“For further details concerning the habitats of the various 
plants I brought home with me I beg to refer to the annexed 
enumeration.” W. Woopvitie Rockit. 
This is an exceedingly interesting collection, especially when 
* There was no specimen of this plant in Mr. Rockhill’s collection.— 
W.B.H. 
