THE AFGHAN DELIMITATION COMMISSION. 3 
the stony bases of the hills into the gravel plains. Perowskia abrotanoides, а very 
attractive Labiata, forming a close bush three to four feet high, was general among the 
rocks; Periploca aphylla and two species of Ephedra. Ephedra pachyclados ? was the 
common one, being very profuse amongst broken rock, boulders, &c., as well as on the 
gravel plains. Тһе native name for the Periploca and the two species of Ephedra is 
Hum or Huma, the natives not distinguishing between them. Tamarix gallica, as a 
large shrub, the presence of which in quantity and size would, I think, indicate 
water at no great depth. Further, P/eropyrum Aucheri, Rhazya stricta, Stellaria 
Lessertii, Lactuca orientalis, Anabasis sp., Pennisetum dichotomum, Euphorbia osyridea, 
Astragalus hyrcanus, Calligonum comosum, inhabit this region at the base of the hills, 
and extend thence over the gravel country. 
On the gravel and clay plains the vegetation was extremely sparse and stunted; 
among the prevailing plants, Alhagi Camelorum was generally spread over the country, 
and in some favoured localities it grew in luxuriance and dense masses, through 
which it was hard to get our horses to go, owing to its numerous objectionable 
spines. This shrub is usually from one to two feet in height, occasionally as much 
as three. Тһе ordinary term here for the plant is * Camel-thorn," as it is one of the 
chief sources of supply of fodder for these animals. In certain seasons it yields a 
manna. Peganum Harmala, Sophora mollis, Sophora Griffithii, and two species of 
Heliotropium were more or less frequent; and where saline matter impregnated the 
soil the following shrubs were often in great luxuriance, Salsola Kali, Salsola arbuscula, 
Salsola fotida, and several others, with Halanthium sp., Halocharis sulphurea, Halo- 
aylon salicornicum, and Н. Griffith. 
On the sand-dunes and between the hillocks formed by the sand-waves vegetation 
was more general and of stronger growth than one would have expected to find on first 
seeing this formation. This is no doubt due to the deeper layers of the sand being able to: - 
retain moisture, down to which the roots easily penetrate through the soft superstructure. 
The characteristic shrub, often almost a tree in size, is Haloxylon Ammodendron, which is 
the Tar-gaz of Baluchistan, and its smaller branches yield the best camel-fodder of the 
country, and, unlike the Tamarisks, the camels can live continuously upon it without 
its impairing their health. In general appearance it resembles light-green Tamarisk, 
hence its native name; but it is at once distinguishable by its pendulous branches 
and grey white stems; hence the European name White Tamarisk. Although this 
shrub is found in all directions, it certainly seems to prefer, and grows in greatest 
luxuriance on, these sand hills. Tamarix macrocarpa and other large shrubby species 
were common. At Omar-sha, where we encamped on sand hills, there were some 
trees, probably planted, of Tamarix articulata with trunks nine feet in girth and over 
thirty feet in height, and associated with them were some trees of Tamarix macrocarpa, 
from four to six feet in circumference, evidence of the size this species may attain in а 
favourable locality. The ordinary native name for the latter is Kirri; and this term 
was equally applied to 7. articulata, although the two species were recognized as e 
different. Tamarix articulata, having no special native name here, leads one to surmise 
that it is not indigenous in this part of the country. At Zaru, close to our encampment, 
B2 
