= Sf 22 
one of the best adapted types in the deserts. As regards the 
hemicryptophytes, about 30 out of 55 endemic species are 
spring-plants and about 25 are xerophytes (most of which, 
however, shed their blossoms before July 1. comp. p. 162). 
Unfortunately I have not been able to draw up sufficiently 
reliable comparative figures for the whole flora. If what has 
been stated about the annuals be taken as a starting point, 
it might be expected that the xerophytic hemicryptophytes 
were comparatively better represented among the endemic 
species than the mesophytic ones; but I am unable to decide 
this question. 
The 169 endemic species belong to 83 different genera. 
Only 7 of these genera are endemic namely: 
Borszcowia Bunge. (Chenopodiaceae). 
Piptoptera Bunge. (Chenopodiaceae). 
Chartoloma Bunge. (Cruciferae). 
Cithareloma Bunge. (Cruciferae). 
Smirnowia Bunge. (Papilionaceae). 
Holopleura Rgl. & Schm. (Umbelliferae). 
Miltianthus Bunge. (Zygophyllaceae). 
These genera are monotypic except Cithareloma, which 
has two species. 
Of the two Chenopodiaceae, Borszcowia is closely allied 
to Suaeda and Bienertia, while Piptoptera is related to Hal- 
anthium and other Anabaseae. Thus both belong to groups 
of plants which are widely distributed in Transcaspia and 
surrounding countries. 
The two Cruciferae are doubtless well-established genera, 
but both have some near relatives: Chartoloma is closely 
allied to Isatis, Tauscheria and Sameraria, of which Tauscheria 
is indigenous in the interior of Asia while the other two occur 
in western Asia and the eastern Mediterranean countries. 
Cithareloma is related to a number of oriental Hesperideae, 
such genera as Farsetia, Eremobium (N. Africa} and Mal- 
colmia. 
The validity of the genus Smirnowia likewise seems to be 
well-founded, in fact it stands amongst the endemic genera 
