BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 281 



but little that is new. The south European vegetation con- 

 tinues, so fiir as such a statement is assumable by one wljo 

 never was beyond Paris ; but it answers to the definitions of 

 those provinces, not kingdoms, by Schouw, of which I have 

 liad a glimpse in Murray's geography. The mountains, if pos- 

 sible, increase in barrenness, and few trees are to be found 

 even among the cultivated tracts, v.hich are always confined 

 to such rivers as really contain water. At this place we are 

 on the Tartary side of the Hindookoosh (which is not as lias 

 been stated, covered with forests, but absolutely bare of trees) 

 and we are at least 7000 feet above the Tartar plains. There 

 is little difference in the vegetation of either side at these 

 elevations; but that of this side is decidedly poorer in forms 

 and individuals, and has from the saline soil, a greater pre- 

 ponderance of curious succulent Chenopodiacece, mostly, I as- 

 sume, referrible to Kochia. The only green spots visible are 

 those confined to the banks of the river, and in such places as 

 are not under cultivation, cool green turfy sward occurs, with 

 thickets o? Hippophae, Berheris, Tamarix, and Rosa. Through- 

 out Khorasaun Eastern, no tropical forms are found even at 

 comparatively low elevations, if «e except a (ew grasses, such 

 as Holcus, SfC, but such if I rightly remember occur on the 

 shores of the Mediterranean. The European nature of the 

 vegetation of the low tracts is almost totally opposed to the 

 received opinions of the effects of temperature; for they are 

 among the hottest climates in the world, and the European 

 forms are not as in northern India, mere annuals confined to 

 the winter months. The Flora of Khorasaun bears on many 

 important points connected with vegetable geography. It 

 shows forcibly the great effect in variety of form, of humi- 

 dity ; it illustrates admirably the similarity of the Flora over 

 a great extent, where no chains of lofty mountains, no seas 

 occur; indeed no obstruction of any sort occurs. The high- 

 est rid^e crossed en route to this, is nearly 13,000 feet; 

 but in consequence of the extreme summer heat, this is not 

 within perhaps 2000 feet of the general inferior limit of 

 snow. At such elevations, the mountains are dotted over 

 Jounh nfBot Vol. III. No. 22. March, 1841. 2 o 



