125 



bearing dwarf- shoots others bearing long-shoots; the deeper 

 rhizomes appear more disposed to form flowering long- 

 shoots, while those nearer the surface of the sand (warmer 

 and drier) mostly form dwarf-shoots. Several rhizomes laid 

 quite bare still carry living aerial shoots, both short-shoots 

 and long-shoots. Fig. 22 shows a buried long-shoot on which 

 one of the upper axillary buds has formed a new aerial 

 shoot which forms a rosette on the surface of the ground. 



Horaninowia ulicina and Agriophyllum minus, dry annual 

 plants with thorn-tipped leaves, are also common. Both have 

 been already referred to. There are also the annuals Crozo- 

 phora gracilis and Euphorbia cheirolepis, one woolly-haired, 

 the other with glossy leaves. 



These plants form here an unusually rich desert-vegeta- 

 tion, the average distance between the plants is about one 

 metre. 



In moist depressions the vegetation is still denser, and 

 includes Lycium ruthenicum, Halostachys caspica, Peganum 

 Harmala, Pluchea caspica, Alhagi and especially Aeluropus 

 repens. 



This locality forms a transition stage between the shifting 

 desert and the hummock desert. Succulent halophytes occur 

 only in the depressions; but here also the soil is sand. On 

 the higher sand, dry plants only are present. 



4. Sand-desert north of Maile Togai on the right bank 

 of the Amu Daria. June 22. 1899. 



The soil, formed of sand, is fairly level with low dunes. 

 Aristida pennata grows sparsely and not luxuriantly, Carex 

 physodes on the contrary is rather frequent; Heliotropium sp. 

 (Radula or sogdianum), Agriophyllum latifolium and dead stems 

 of Cistanche also present. The switch bushes grow com- 

 paratively close together but are stunted: Haloxylon, Ammo- 

 dendron, Salsola Arbuscula, Calligonum Caput Medusae are 

 metre-high bushes; some small single-stemmed trees of Am- 

 modendron attain a height of 1 2 metres. 



A dark-spotted lizard, Scaptira grammica, was captured 

 here, also a long slender greyish-green snake, very active in 

 its movements, and which climbed up the bushes and hid 

 itself among the branches. 



