22 DR. J. E. T. AITCHISON ON THE BOTANY OF 
growing in the sand accumulated from their disintegration, was the very luxuriant Cory dalis 
Sewerzovii, having large bright yellow flowers. In certain localities and exposures in the 
Paropamisus range, at an altitude of 3000 feet and upwards, trees begin to appear, the ` 
most prominent being Juniperus excelsa, chiefly valued for its wood for construction and 
fuel; Crategus Oxyacantha, Eleagnus hortensis, Lonicera nummnularifolia, the last usually 
as a large shrub, but occasionally forming scattered forests of short trees with great 
boles; several species of Prunus and Cotoneaster Nummularia, well known to the natives 
as yielding Shir-khist, a kind of manna largely exported as well as consumed by the 
inhabitants. The last is local, owing to the nature of the soil. In some of the deep 
valleys between Kushk and Palounda I saw Zizyphus vulgaris, with a species of Pyrus, 
and an Acer, all apparently indigenous. I did not meet with any oaks or pine, but 
heard of Pinus halepensis occurring in the Paropamisus range, at a shrine around which 
it has extended its area. Other characteristic types of a high altitude were Rheum 
Ribes in immense beds, Rosa, Solenanthus circinnatus, Smyrnium cordifolium, Prangos 
pabularia, and Alyssum persicum. 
At its north-west limit the Paropamisus range breaks up before it reaches the 
Hari-rud and spreads out into a fan-shaped expanse of low hills, ordinarily not over а 
few hundred feet above the level of the river (which is here about 2000 feet above the 
sea), with the exception of a few solitary peaks such as those of the Sim-koh, which in all 
probability are not over 3500 feet in altitude. On the 14th May I started on a tour from 
Kumani-besht through this expansion of the range, across the Nihal-sheni pass to 
Chil-gaz, Karez-Ilias, and Sim-koh, to the east of the Kambao pass. Тһе soil of this 
district being saline, pure sweet water is only to be obtained in a few localities ; hence 
there is no cultivation. Indeed the country is practically a desert, and only occasionally 
used for pasturage, the distance between the watering-stations rendering it almost 
valueless for grazing purposes. Between Toman-agha and Kumani-besht, close to the 
river, rises a range of high clay cliffs, a counterpart of those called Takht-i-Rustam on 
the Hamun. Оп ascending these cliffs they were found to be the edge of a continuous 
plateau, extending to the Paropamisus on the east and north, and consisting of vast 
alluvial deposits. The general aspect of the vegetation here strongly resembled that 
around Tirphul, but contained a good many new and interesting types. The first 
remarkable plant observed was Statice spicata, growing chiefly in the washings of sand 
at the base of the cliffs, and which although only a few inches in height was very 
attractive from the bright pink colour of its spikes of flowers. Along with it, con- 
spicuous by its dark foliage rather than for anything else, was Statice leptostachya 
frequently covering the plateaus in the low hills. "Where water accumulates, owing to 
clay deposit, on these plains, a matted turf-like sward composed solely of creeping 
"Lepidium Aucheri is specially noticeable; and in the gravelly soil several species of 
Tragopogon, Scorzonera, and Lactuca occur in abundance. The chief grasses were Роа 
_ bulbosa, Bromus Danthonia, and in many places Hordeum ithaburense was in such 
profusion and so much resembled cultivated fields, that my followers called it wild 
2. barley, ап opinion shared by most of us; further, Triticum squarrosum, Hordeum Caput- 
| meduse, and Melica ciliata were prominent elements of ће pasturage. Various species 
