264 



one of the best adapted types in the deserts. As regards the 

 hemicryptophytes, about 30 out of 55 endemic species are 

 spring-plants and about 25 are xerophytes (most of which, 

 however, shed their blossoms before July 1. comp. p. 162). 

 Unfortunately I have not been able to draw up sufficiently 

 reliable comparative figures for the whole flora. If what has 

 been stated about the annuals be taken as a starting point, 

 it might be expected that the xerophytic hemicryptophytes 

 were comparatively better represented among the endemic 

 species than the mesophytic ones; but I am unable to decide 

 this question. 



The 169 endemic species belong to 83 different genera. 

 Only 7 of these genera are endemic namely: 



Borszcowia Bunge. (Chenopodiaceae). 

 Piptoptera Bunge. (Chenopodiaceae). 

 Chartoloma Bunge. (Cruciferae). 

 Cithareloma Bunge. (Cruciferae). 

 Smirnowia Bunge. (Papilionaceae). 

 Holopleura Rgl. & Schm. (Umbelliferae). 

 Miltianthus Bunge. (Zygophyllaceae). 



These genera are monotypic except Cithareloma, which 

 has two species. 



Of the two Chenopodiaceae, Borszcowia is closely allied 

 to Suaeda and Bienertia, while Piptoptera is related to Hal- 

 anthium and other Anabaseae. Thus both belong to groups 

 of plants which are widely distributed in Transcaspia and 

 surrounding countries. 



The two Cruciferae are doubtless well-established genera, 

 but both have some near relatives: Chartoloma is closely 

 allied to Isatis, Tauscheria and Sameraria, of which Tauscheria 

 is indigenous in the interior of Asia while the other two occur 

 in western Asia and the eastern Mediterranean countries. 

 Cithareloma is related to a number of oriental Hesperideae, 

 such genera as Farsetia, Eremobium (N. Africa) and Mal- 

 colmia. 



The validity of the genus Smirnowia likewise seems to be 

 well-founded, in fact it stands amongst the endemic genera 



