122 



fruits gone, but they were seen hanging in the grass-tus- 

 socks. 



In depressions where the soil is more gravelly, flat and 

 without loose sand, there grows a considerable abundance 

 of Horaninowia ulicina an annual saltwort with acicular 

 leaves, and Heliotropium (Radula?), together with a few Cou- 

 sina annua. The pale yellow blossoms of this plant protrude 

 from the heads which do not open but remain closed together 

 as if to protect the gynoecia. 



This desert locality has a deep sandy soil and the plants 

 are dry sand-plants. There are no halophytes, neither annuals 

 nor perennials. Saxaul is also absent. 



2. Sand-desert outside the town of Petro-Alexandrowsk 

 (Chiwa) Juli 1 th 1899. 



A dune area where Alhagi Camelorum is dominant, with 

 a sparse admixture of Halimocnemis in the depressions and 

 on the dunes, and Aristida pennata on the dunes only. It is 

 noteworthy that the Alhagi association here suddenly ceases 

 without any apparent reason, the dunes beyond are naked 

 but otherwise quite similar to the ones covered with Alhagi. 

 There seems to be no other reason for this, than that Alhagi 

 in its subterranean migration aided by its horizontal roots 

 had not yet extended its range any further. A few plants 

 occur on the bare dunes; Aristida pennata and Calligonum; 

 and in depressions Agriophyllnm latifolium and minus, Haloc- 

 nemum strobilaceum and Heliotropium sp. 



The vegetation is thus chiefly made up of sand-plants, 

 but a few succulent halophytes occur (Halocnemum, Halimoc- 

 nemis). 



3. Sand-desert south of the town of Chiwa. July 11 th 1899. 

 Here the sand is very distinctly sorted out by the wind, 



the coarser sand being darker in colour than the finer. The 

 coarser sand lies in great quantities on the crests of the wave- 

 like drifts and on the windward side of the dunes, while the 

 fine sand is found between the wave drifts and forms the 

 greater part of the sliding mass on the lee side of the dunes. 

 The smaller dunes formed in the shelter of plants or other 

 obstacles also consist of the fine sand, and so assume a 

 lighter colour than the surrounding surface. Over 99 per ct. 



