rhynchus sabulosus, Astragalus sp., Erodium oxyrrhynchum, 
Alhagi camelorum, Senecio coronopifolius, less frequent are 
Dorema Ammoniacum, Sphaerophysa sp., Rheum sp. 
5. The Promontory-or Stone-steppe is found on 
hard conglomerate soil at the foot of mountains, between 
these and the loess-steppe. It is an Artemisia-steppe, A. 
nutans being the principal plant. Amongst other species found 
are: Stipa orientalis, Papaver pavoninum, Cruciferae, Caryo- 
phyllaceae, Astragalus, Umbelliferae (Zosimia, Ferula), Compo- 
sitae (Centaurea ovina, pulchella, Balsamita, solstitialis, Cousinia 
turcomanica, dichotoma, lyrata, Achillea santolina), Labiatae, 
Liliaceae, grasses and others. Ulmus nuda and occasionally 
the shrub Zygophyllum eurypterum occur by the streams. 
6. The mountain-flora does not come within the scope 
of this review. 
Next to be considered is the work of S. KORSHINSKY : 
“Sketches of the Vegetation of Turkestan” (1896), the first 
section of which deals with Transcaspia. 
The “normal type” of sand-desert, the most extensive and 
continuous, is KorsHinsky considers, “flat or undulating areas 
of sand” consisting of loose but not drifting sand, and covered 
by a meagre, yet comparatively rich and rather varied vege- 
tation. Its most characteristic feature is that it consists chiefly 
of ligneous species: Haloxylon Ammodendron, Salsola Arbuscula, 
Calligonum, Ephedra, Ammodendron Karelini, Eremosparton, 
Astragalus Ammodendron etc. In the spring many herbaceous 
plants also occur, most of them growing isolated and not 
forming a carpet. A few species like Carex physodes and 
Capsella elliptica, are sometimes so luxuriant and dense that a 
green sward or something approaching one is formed. In the 
autumn the herbs have disappeared, and one finds then 
perennial species of Salsola, little bushes covered with hand- 
some, multicoloured fruits. 
The sandy parts are not so bare as one might imagine, 
KorSHINSKY says, so that there is really no reason why they 
should be called deserts. In spring, at least, the soil holds 
water at a few centimetres depth, and he adds: “I am of 
opinion that the sharply defined xerophytic character of the 
vegetation is not so much a consequence of the dryness of 
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