2в2 ALPINE VEGETATION. 



of currant (Rides piilchcllum and another), raspberry 

 (Rubus IdtTics), and the chmbing Atragcne alpina. 



The commonest herbs were the red lily (Lilium 

 temiifoliiLiii), French honeysuckle (also found in the 

 lower alpine meadow-land), several kinds of astra- 

 galus, violets, several varieties oi pedicularis, includ- 

 ing one conspicuous for its pink flowers, Rhaponti- 

 cuin unijiorum and Polygonatum Sibirictmi. Where 

 the ground was moist we observed a greater variety 

 of herbaceous plants; valerian, meadow-rue, the 

 willow herb (Epilobhmi angustifoliuni), dandelion 

 ( Taraxacum officinale), columbine (Aquilegia viridi- 

 Jlord), Avormwood, Silenc repens, Rubia cordifolia, 

 and Sanguisorba alphia, often growing in patches in 

 the alpine meadows. The vegetation of the tree-belt 

 is richer than either of the others, although far less 

 luxuriant than that of Kan-su. 



The alpine region, which begins at an elevation 

 of 10,000 feet, is of comparatively small extent, more 

 limited even than that of the Munni-ula range. Here 

 we saw the beautiful caragana, covered with white 

 and pink blossoms early in July, the meadow-sweet, 

 the white kurile tea (the same we had seen in the 

 forests), and a low kind of willow. 



In the lower alpine belt, besides many of the 

 flowers we have already enumerated, we observed 

 ranunculus, larkspur, beautiful carnations [Dianthus 

 siiperdus), onion, and corydalis. On the higher 

 ground bushes cease altogether, the caragana being 

 the only one to appear up to the very summit of 

 Mount Bugutui ; but here its proportions are dwarf- 



