32 ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE BOTANY OF 
plants found on the highest mountains, as Choor and Kedarkanta. The elevation is 
certainly great, being at least ten thousand feet; but the trees, which are elsewhere 
found looking down upon vallies, are here themselves situated in them, having moun- 
tains towering above them covered with snow, which, on melting below the line of 
perpetual congelation, gives place to a lowly but rich vegetation. 
The trees consist of Abies excelsa and Betula Bhgjputra; with them are found 
species of juniper, hazle, and a new Quercus. Walnut and apricot trees exist in the 
vicinity of the nearest villages. Wheat and buckwheat are cultivated, but are green 
even in July, when the water of the river is cold, but the sun’s rays very powerful. A 
kind of gooseberry, rhubarb, and currant are also found ; and among the most remarkable 
flowers are species of Dictamnus, Isopyrum, Phalangium, and Aconitum ; Hemiphragma 
is one of the new forms produced in this somewhat peculiar situation. Andromeda 
fastigiata, Saussurea gossypina, Carduus macrocephalus, and Nardostachys Jatamansi, are 
with many others found in the mountains in the vicinity. | 
From the frozen sources of rivers, the transition is easy to the snowy passes of the 
Himalaya. These always lead over the lowest parts of the snowy range, are gene- 
rally from fifteen to sixteen thousand feet high, though some to the eastward are more 
elevated, and mostly flanked by peaks which are three or four thousand feet higher. 
Being for the greater part if not for the whole year covered with snow, their vegetation 
is only interesting as affording examples of the plants which attain the highest limits, 
but they afford the most favourable sites for observing the elevation of the line of per- 
petual congelation. These passes have been explored and described by Captains 
Hodgson, Webb, Herbert, and the Messrs. Gerard. By the first, the air within the 
mountains has been described as clear, light, and very dry, in which evaporation is very 
rapid; the sky of a deep blue colour; and the stars of great brilliancy, appearing and 
disappearing instantaneously, without any apparent augmentation of their size. The 
country leading to these passes is generally very rugged and barren below the limit of 
snow. Above the pine forests, or from eleven thousand to eleven thousand eight hun- 
dred feet of elevation, a few dwarf oaks, junipers, and stunted birches are met with, as 
well as Rhododendron lepidotum, and a species of Allium and wild rose above twelve thou- 
sand feet. The raven and Alpine hare are also seen. The genera, of which species have 
been brought me from the highest extent of vegetation in these passes, are Ranunculus, 
Aconitum, Geranium, Potentilla, Epilobium, Carduus, Senecio, Inula, Cineraria, Cyno- 
glossum, Myosotis, Primula, Pedicularis, Salvia, Lamium, Ori iganum, and Polygonum ; 
of the last there are several species from such localities. On descending the northern 
face, a peculiarity is observed in finding a pine, which is not met with on the southern face, 
owing most likely to the influence of the rains. This is the Pinus Neoza of Dr. Govan, 
Pe Gerardiana of Dr. Wallich, and most probably the Chilghoza of Mr. Elphinstone. 
Rhododendron lepidotum i is found as high as fourteen thousand two hundred feet, villages 
and cultivation at ten thousand five hundred and eleven thousand five hundred feet. 
Snow was found at thirteen thousand four hundred feet in June by the Messrs. Gerard 
on 
