122 STEPPES AND DESERTS. 



Synantherse (Saussurea amara, S. salsa, Artemisias, and 

 Centaureas), and of leguminous plants, species of Astra- 

 galus, Cytisus, and Caragana. Crown Imperials, (Fritillaria 

 ruthenica, and F. meleagroides), Cypripedias, and tulips, 

 rejoice the eye by the bright variety of their colours. 



A contrast to the pleasing vegetation of these Asiatic plains 

 is presented by the desolate salt Steppes, particularly by the 

 part of the Barabinski Steppe which is at the foot of the 

 Altai mountains, and by the Steppes between Barnaul and the 

 Serpent Mountain and the country on the east of the Caspian. 

 Here Chenopodias, some species of Salsola and Atriplex, Sali- 

 cornias and Halimocnemis crassifolia, (each species growing 

 " socially"), form patches of vegetation on the muddy ground. 

 See Gobel's Journey in the Steppes of the South of Russia 

 (Reise in die Steppe des siidlichen Russlands, 1838, Th. ii. 

 S. 244 and 301). Of the 500 phanerogamous species 

 which Clans and Gobel collected in the Steppes, the Syran- 

 therae, the Chenopodese, and the Crucifera3, were more 

 numerous than the grasses ; the latter being only -jV of the 

 whole, and the former yth and -g-th. In Germany, from the 

 mixture of hill and plain districts, the Glumacese (i. e. the 

 Graminese, Cyperacea3, and Juncacea3 collectively), form 

 4-th ; the Synanthera? or Compositse ^-th . an d the Crucifera3 

 -pg-th of all our German phanerogamia. In the most nor- 

 thern parts of the flat Siberian lowlands, the fine map of 

 Admiral Wrangell shews that the extreme northern limit of 

 tree and shrub vegetation (Conifers and Amentacese) is, in 

 the portion towards the Behring's Straits side, in 67^- lat. ; 

 and more to the west, towards the banks of the Lena, in 

 71, which is the parallel of the north cape of Lapland. 



