Aloiii^ llif liaiiks ol llic Sisli-k<'iii alioni TnIicIxtUisIi llicit- appear larclios of a 

 liqlilcr Ljrccii, coiislanlly iiicrcasini; in iiiiiii hci southw aids, unlil they are seen to prcdo- 

 miiialo in llic Dfvoiiiaii Icrrilory. over larLje Iracls ol land, even nioslly (piilc jjurc. The 

 larches here arc l'rc(|ucnlly larj^e and vigorous, allaining a hciglil of 25— ;5() ni., measuring 

 towards 1—2 ni. in diameter at a man's height. Associated witli the larch there also 

 ai)pcar sun\r oilier plaiils, of which may especially i)c nicnlioncd: 



Scdiim jniijiuiruiu. (ifiiliitiui Aiuiurlhi. (jildiicuslcr iitclniiocdrjxi. Svorzonera 

 aiislridcii. (icnlidiui dclonsd. Pdlenlilln chriisniilliii v<u\ tisiiilica. and others. 



F"ig. 51. From tlie lr;iiisitioii zone between tlie taiga and tlie wooded sleijjje ref^ion. The .Sisli- 



keni vatlev about bW m. above sealevel. 



Along the banks and in thickcls the characteristic arjniscular plants here were 

 represented by Pniniis I'adits. Soibiis Aiiciiparia. Alniis frulicosn, Ribcs piihesccns. Rihes 

 nigiimi, Alrttgcnr sihiriai, and in sand along the river-banks Didntliiis siij)eihus and 

 Epilobiiiiu lati/oliuin are t'ref[ucnt. 



The lower joarts of the river basin thus chiefly contain larch-wood with smaller 

 steppe areas. This is the genuine wood-sleppes, dry open areas with scattered open larch- 

 forest, (and sometimes pine) intermixed with various foliferous trees. Already at Ust 

 Sisti-kem the climate is ratlicr dry. which is also apparent from the great number of 

 locusts to be found here. Among conifers the larch jjredominates. but in more 



