2! 9A +23 
CHAPTER 9 
Formations Confined to Water 
(Hygrophilous and mesophilous). 
A. The Formation of swamp-meadows. 
Along the shores of lakes, and in particular in many 
places along the banks of slowly flowing rivers, and in deltas, 
stretch green flats, which, at a distance, look like meadows 
but which are better described as marshes or swamp-meadows. 
Their most characteristic feature is the great cyperacea-tufts, 
broad, and up to almost a métre in height, and doubtlessly 
very old. They are formed by the species, Kobresia Bellardi, 
Royleana, schoenoides, stenocarpa, Carex orbicularis and often 
Triglochin maritimum. Carex pseudofoetida, which is a sub- 
terranean runner, is also common. Between the tufts, there 
are either open pools, of gently moving or stagnant water, 
or bare, water-sooked, stinking mire. In these stagnant pools, 
and where the water moves but gently, salt is crystallized 
out, lying like hoar frost on the tufts, or, — when the water 
has evaporated, forming centimeter-thick crusts between them, 
and looking like solid frozen pools. Some marshes are quite 
white with salt. 
In regard to vegetation non-saline marshes resemble in 
the main salt-marshes, if the amount of salt in these is not 
particularly great, as is the case near Tuz Kul. The cype- 
raceous tufts in particular are the same. In regard to the 
other flora, many species are found here, which I never found 
in salt-marshes, others which only seem to appear in non- 
saline marshes, and a third group, whichis common to both 
localities. 
Among halophilous species Saussurea crassifolia and Po- 
lygonum pamiricum occupy the first rank, in the second are 
Potentilla dealbata, which was common in some localities, 
Atriplex crassa and rosea, Suaeda setigera each of which, how- 
ever, was only found in a single locality, Carex pseudofoetida 
and microglochin, Alopecurus mucronatus, Calamagrostis stricta, 
and Scirpus compressus, all with subterranean or ground-run- 
