U — 
been examined by many naturalists; but the papers contain- 
ing the results of the journeys are scattered throughout 
different periodicals, mostly Russian and often very difficult 
of access. More especially during the later decades when it 
has become a national feature to write in Russian, it is 
very hard for anyone in western Europe to study Russian 
literature. The publications on the botanical conditions of 
the Transcaspian lowlands are — so far as we can ascer- 
tain — mainly taxonomic, lists of plants and descriptions of 
new species. There now exists a large amount of systematic 
material which in recent years is gradually becoming arrang- 
ed into consecutive floras, mainly through the works of 
FEDTSCHENKO. 
Very few descriptions of the vegetation exist, still less 
any attempts at ecological treatment. What I have had ac- 
cess to will be dealt with in this account, and Russian authors, 
inaccessible to most people, will be reported in greater detail 
than those who have written in the languages of western 
Europe. 
BASINER'S journey through the Kirghiz steppe to Chiwa. 
This account dates from 1848. He travelled from Orenburg 
to Chiwa, and he gives many lists of plants as well as brief 
descriptions of the vegetation, and other botanical remarks. 
The greater part of the territory where he travelled does not 
belong to the areas dealt with in this work. BASINER de- 
scribes the «steppe» between Orenburg and Usturt with its 
three regions: The grass region, the transitional region and 
the region of Chenopodiaceae of which the first is the most 
northern, the last the most southern region. The region of 
Chenopodiaceae is evidently closely related to the desert ot 
the south, such as we deal with later on. Frequently the 
soil is devoid of plants, yet in places a considerable number 
of plants were found, but these form «keine heitere Hille, 
sondern hôchstens ein dunkles Trauergewandt». The most 
common plants are: Salsola brachiata, clavifolia, crassa, Kali, 
Anabasis aphylla, Brachylepis salsa and Artemisia (Artemisia 
fragrans). The number of Chenopodiaceae increase towards 
the south and many individuals of a species were often found 
in masses together. 
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