20 



The plateau of Usturt which lies between the Aral Sea 

 and the Caspian is divided by BASINER into four vegetation- 

 regions: the Clay-region, the Sand-region, the Marl- region 

 and the Salt-region. The first named embraces the greater part 

 of the plateau, is dry and bare with a scattered vegetation. 

 During spring many annuals are in bloom especially 6>zz- 

 ciferae and bulbous plants (Allium and Tulipa) ; during autumn 

 hardly anything but scattered perennial Chenopodiaceae are 

 found: Saxaul, Anabasis aphylla, Salsola glauca, Arbuscula, 

 crassa, rigida, Brachylepis salsa and the polygonaceous Atra- 

 phaxis spinosa. 



The Sand-region consists of scattered sand-hills (dunes) 

 The vegetation is richer than on the clay, as the sand retains 

 the moisture better. The most common plant is Pterococcus 

 aphyllus (= Calligonum Pallasii), next comes Tamarix gallica, 

 and of annuals we find recorded Salsola Kali, Horaninowia 

 ulicina, Corispermum laxiflorum and Asperula Danilewskiana. 



The substratum of the Marl-region is looser than clay, 

 but more compact than the sand. It occurs especially in 

 crevices between rocks and other similar places on the eastern 

 slope of the plateau; the vegetation is comparatively rich, 

 BASINEII gives a long list of plants which are found during 

 autumn. This contains some annuals (Cruciferae), and many 

 herbaceous perennials, undershrubs and bushes such as: 

 Peganum Harmala, Astragalus -species, Alhagi Camelorum, 

 Tamarix, Artemisiae, Chenopodiaceae, Atraphaxis. 



The vegetation of the Salt-region is chiefly found round 

 the coast of the Aral Sea, both on marl and on moving 

 sands. The most important plants are: Frankenia intermedia, 

 Zygophyllum Fabago, Lycium ruthenicum, Saussurea crassifolia, 

 Salsola ericoides, Schoberia (= Suoeda) microphylla, Halocne- 

 mum strobilaceum, Halostachys caspica, Atriplex laciniatus, and 

 on sandy soil: Clematis orientalis, Mulgedium tataricum, Cy- 

 nanchum acutum, Phelipaea salsa. 



. BASINER also describes thickets on the river sides with 

 tamarisks, willows and poplars, and a wood of Saxaul, which 

 took three hours to traverse. The height of the trees was 

 15 to 20 feet and the diameter of the stems 8 inches or 

 more. The year-rings were very narrow, 200 260 being 



