352 GEOGRAPHICAL BOTANY. 



iberica Stev. and Robur (?), Carpinus orientals, Fagus, 

 Acer platanoides, Tilia parvifolia, Alnus denticulate 

 C. A. M.) ; the underwood of Euonymus ZatifoZius, Ehamnus 

 frangula and eatkaftica, Staphylea pinnata, Viburnum 

 orientate, Argyrolobium lotoides, and Lonicera c&rulea. 



The Imiretian slopes of the Caucasus in the upper 

 valley of Rion (p. 129) are more abundantly wooded; 

 above the vine mountains of the latter, mixed forests of 

 deciduous trees ascend to a considerable height ; in ad- 

 dition to the trees above mentioned, the chesnut, various 

 fruit trees, and poplars were found at Oni, as also among 

 the shrubs, Ilex, Azalea pontica, and EJiododendron Cau- 

 casicum, Rhus Cotinus, together with Smilax excelsa. At 

 Glola, wild fruit-trees, especially Pyrus communis, and 

 Prunus avium, extended to beyond 5000'. A region of 

 subalpine shrubs, of which Arctostaphylos and Azalea 

 pontica ascend together high up at the glacier of Rion, 

 immediately succeeds the deciduous forests ; and with 

 them, subalpine herbaceous perennials, as Aconitum nasu- 

 tum Fisch., Pyrethrum macropliyllum, Doronicum Cauca- 

 sicum, <fec. Lower down in the valley of Rion, Koch 

 describes a fine primitive forest at Kutais (p. 166), con- 

 sisting of magnificent trunks of Carpinus orientalis, oaks, 

 and high tops of the chesnut and plane-trees projected 

 singly ; in thickets, luxuriant lianes of the grape-vine, 

 Smilax, and ivy, upon the branches of which the mistletoe 

 grew, and from which Usnete were suspended. 



The journey from Tiflis to Erivvan through Georgia 

 and Russian Armenia was made during the months of 

 April and May, in 1837, and yielded a rich booty. The 

 forests of Somchetien differ from those of Imiretia, in 

 the more regular growth of the trees, and in the absence 

 of evergreen shrubs and lianes (p. 350). They consist 

 of Querous iberica and pedunculata, Carpinus Betulus 

 and orientalis, Acer platanoides sndpseudqplatanus; with 

 isolated examples of UZmus excelsa Bork., Fagus, and 

 Acer tartaricum. The soil of these forests consists of a 

 thick layer of humus, and this black earth produces the 



