subspec. imberbe nov. siibspec. Galium nliginosnm. Valeriana officinalis, Myosotis 

 palustris var. nemorosa, Cardamine pratensis, Comariim paliistre, Ulmaria pentapetala, 

 Epilobinm paliislre. Cirsium heterophijllum. Peacedaniim saliniim, Carex vesicaria. 

 Poa palustris, Equisetum palustris, Pelasites laevigatas, Lysimachia thyrsiflora, and 

 Salix myrtilloides. 



It will be seen that only a very small number of the plants mentioned here are 

 wholly dependent on the wood itself, the flora usually associated with the coniferous 

 wood having shrunk even more in this tract. 



South of Uie Kamsara, upwards along the river Bei-kem, the moist taiga, and the plant 

 life associated with it, has wholly disappeared. The smaller stretches of wood to be 



Fig. 54. Open, dry larch-forest with scattered birches and poplars 



between the rivers Kamsara and li. In the i'orenround mostly 



Thaliclrum, Viburnum, and various grasses. 



found here are entirely made up of larch and various foliferous trees, the greater 

 part of the land consisting of open wood-steppes, interspersed with smaller areas with 

 a marked and genuine steppe scenery. Only along the rivers there occur some other 

 conifers, such as spruce and fir, but they do not form woods here and are not accom- 

 panied by any vegetation characteristic of coniferous forests. 



The traveller is no longer under the necessity of availing himself of pack-horses, 

 and in spite of the total absence of roads, carts may everywhere be employed, the 

 land being so open in every direction. The densest larch-wood is to be found near the 

 river Kamsara. For the rest, the land is rather hilly, with immense terminal moraines, 

 and sand terraces. A great number of lakes are also to be found here, mostly due to 

 deposits from earlier glaciers. Among the lakes may be mentioned the pretty 

 Todshi-kul^), the sacred lake of the Soyotes, which no stranger is allowed to approach. 



^) Kul = lake, Todshi-kul, i. e. the lake of the ToUshi tribe. 



84 



