The usual vcs^e- 

 tntion in the tni- 

 {•a on the north 

 side of the Snv- 

 iinsk mountains. 



Ihc gioiiud and making il swampy throughout the summef. Mosses seemed to be of no 

 great consequence in the ground in the wood here, but in sufficiently open places there 

 occurs a luxuriant vegetation consisting of various vascular plants, especially Aconitiim 

 Idcvc. Delphinium chiliim. Heracleum ilissertinn. ycniinini nlhinn. Arinilcgin sihirica. 

 etc., attaining a height of towards a couple of metres and so densely interlaced 

 as to form a nearly impenetrable jungle. This association is especially characteristic 

 of dark and moist, partially irrigated localities, mostly in woods of Abies sihirica. The 

 traveller is liable to lose the general view among this high vegetation, where men and 

 horses nearly disappear in the tangled undergrowth when making their way with diffi- 

 culty through the pathless territory. It is practically hopeless to try to force this taiga 

 with heavily loaded pack-horses, not only because of the fallen trees and the denseness 

 of the wood, through which men in advance are obliged to cut their way yard by yard, 

 but e.specially so on account of difficulties caused by the extensive swamps and headlong 

 declivilJL's. The traveller forcing his way through the virgin forests in these regions, will 

 have, above all. to take into account the natural obstacles to be met with, the real di- 

 stances being rather delusive. 



Here and there, open places in the wood are covered with a dense vegetation up 

 to 1,'- m. high, nearly exclusively consisting of Veiotnim alhiini. or elsewhere with 

 various iVrns, such as Alhijriiim Fihx femina, Aspidiiim spinulosuin. Aspidiiim dilalaliim. 



Fiji. 27. Open place in the taiga near Semiretska, grown chiefly 



with various ferns such as Athyriiim Filix /emiiia. Asj>uliiim 



spinutosum, Oiioclca Struthoplcris, and others. 



Pleridiiim 'aquiliniim, Onoclea Struthopteris etc. Of other species of ferns which are 

 to be met with in the taiga, I will mention: 



Cystopleris fragilis, Woodsin ilvensis snhspec. alpina ct sid)spec. riifiduUi. Asplenium 

 viride, Asplenium septenlrionale, Asplenium Ruta muraria (occurring cspecially'on rocks) 



50 



