312 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [aren 
life history of the Caspian region closely resembles that of our salt lake dis- 
tricts. On the mountain slopes the steppes pass rather rapidly into forests. 
The steppes are best developed near the Black sea, while the halophytes and — 
artemisias are more abundant toward the Caspian sea. Smaller and similar 
steppes are found south of the Caucasus, paths of migration occurring along 
the Caspian shore. 
The second and third chapters have to do with the luxuriant forests of 
Colchis near the shore of the Black sea, south of the Caucasus, and the simi- 
lar forests of Talysch near the Caspian. These forests enjoy a mild mari- 
time climate and are largely of the Mediterranean evergreen type (Schim- 
per’s sclerophyll forests), in which the cypress, laurel, olive, arbutus, ilex, 
etc., are abundant, as well asa few deciduous trees ; conifers are scarce. Some 
species now endemic in Colchis were widespread before the ice age, so that 
Wettstein believes that this region was a prominent place of refuge in ” 
Pleistocene. Conditions are similar in Talysch, except that conifers are wholly 
nt. er Caucasian forests are described in the fourth chapter. West- 
ern Caucasia has more forests than the eastern part of the district, a. conse 
quence of climatic differences. Ascending the mountains, one = ame z 
Paliurus maqui pass into true forests of deciduous trees d : 
those of Europe. Higher up are great Rhododendron thickets. a 
Xerophytic rock plants are treated in the fifth chapter. The character — 
istic forms are Persian, such as Astragalus and Acantholimon, and ere - 
northwestward as the climate becomes moister. Lists of calcicoles es and a 2 
cicoles are given, but Radde tends to minify their importance. The oe 
chapter i is concerned with the mountain floras, which reach a high 4 
> us region than farther east because of the high rae 
is no difference between the north and south slopes. pane 
have a dense vegetation, in which Rhododendron takes an ies sale cnt 
g the alpine regions plants are scattered, and at least two <2 ae : 
confined to the alpine regions. The last tw 
data and a floristic subdivision of the Caucasian region. —H. o 
_ shoots of the bamboo.’ These observations supply many 
edge of the life history of Phyllostachys mitis and the oth 
comparative study.—C. R. B. 
_ A VERY READABLE account of statistical met 
hods ss applied si ' 
Som Coll. Sci. Foie Univ. Tokyo 13: pa oun tenant aes : 
