SINO-MONGOLIAN FRONTIER 



beautiful plant surpasses in intensity that of 

 any other blue flower of these parts. This plant 

 usually grows on dry, bare spaces, seeming to thrive 

 better when absolutely free from other plants. 

 The Rock Rose (Helianthemum) is another of the 

 mountain flowers. 



Several varieties of Dock occur, in which con- 

 nexion one must mention the Wild Rhubarb. 

 This grows very extensively in the mountains 

 of North Shansi and Chihli, and is also abundant 

 in the low hills of Inner Mongolia. It is of an 

 excellent flavour. The natives have discovered 

 the medicinal properties of its roots. 



In all the northern provinces the Mistletoe is 

 found, growing chiefly on the Elm and the Poplar. 

 The peculiarity of the Chinese Mistletoe is that 

 the berries, instead of being white, are a brilliant 

 red or yellow, which make it very ornamental. 



In Monocotyledonous plants North China is 

 not over abundant. 



Several varieties of Iris occur, the commonest 

 of which is the Flag. This plant grows in tufts 

 all over North China and is one of the commonest 

 plants in the grasslands of Inner Mongolia. A 

 small but strikingly beautiful Iris occurs in North 

 Shansi in the mountains round K'uei-hua-ch'eng. 

 This flower ranges from deep purple to pink in 

 colour and is beautifully marked. A tall, thin- 

 stemmed, narrow-leaved, small-blossomed variety 

 occurs, though somewhat sparsely, from the sea 



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