154 BOTANICAL INFORMATION, 
a rather pretty Primula, Beyond, the whole country was extremely 
arren: the rocky or rather stony hill-sides produced a strongly aro- 
matic Saussurea, a Pyrethrum, Cicer Sonongaricum, (?) and Stipa; but 
the most curious plant was a species of A/sine, or an allied plant, which 
formed extremely dense and hard tufts a foot or more in diameter. It 
began to appear at. about 15,700 feet, and continued almost up to 
18,000. I observed it, but without flowers, last year on several passes, 
and probably mentioned it in my letters, Above 16,000 feet very few 
plants occurred, and they were nearly all old acquaintances. Very dwarf 
Saussuree, Astragali and Crucifere, two or three of each, a Lychnis, 
Taraxacum, two Alsines, and a stunted creeping Myricaria, which 
had so peculiar a habit that it must, I think, be specifically distinct, 
but it was past flower. On the table-land the only plant which occurred 
was the dense-tufted Alsine (Thylacospermum), large green patches of 
which were common. I except the bank of a small streamlet which 
produced a specimen or two of the common species, showing that want 
of water alone was the cause of their absence on the plain, The pass 
was also perfectly dry ; a mass of stones without a vestige of vegetation, 
phenogamous or cryptogamous, nor did anything of the kind appear 
till at least: 500 feet below and close to the bottom of the valley. Here 
a purple-flowered Crucifera rose highest. The whole number of flowering 
plants which rose above 17,000 feet was sixteen. 
(Zo be continued.) 
Death of GEORGE GARDNER, Esq. ; AE eee of the Botanical 
Garden, Ceylon 
Our readers, we are sure, will hear with deep regret of the recent 
and sudden death of Mr. Gardner, while on a visit to the Governor, at 
one of the seats of His Excellency. We cannot do better than relate 
this sad event in the words of his steady friend and patron, as contained 
in a letter to the Editor of this žna, ~— April 1 - 
ura Ellia Rest-h 
* Ceylon, Merch 11th, 1849. 
** My dear Sir William, 
“It is with very great pain and distress that I take up my pen 
to address you; but, knowing the interest and friendship you had 
for Dr. Gardner, and being unacquainted at this moment with his family 
