510 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXVIl. 



station before Phalodi, the terminus of tlie railway. The following notes are 

 thus taken from the train : — 



At Sameran station: Crotalaria burhia, Cenchrus catharticus, Aerua tomentosa 

 and Ae. pseudo-tomentosa, Zizyphus sp., Capparis decidua. The previously very 

 conspicuous Pulicaria wightiana is now rare. At mile 55 : Mimosa liamata, 

 Near Marwar Lohawat tufted grasses occur on the sandy soil, particularly 

 Andropogon iwarancusa and Elionurus hirsutus (see Plate XXXI-A., foreground). 

 In places the sand threatens to cover up the railway track. Here Aerua pseudo- 

 tomentosa is by far the commonest species of its genus. It may be distinguished 

 from Ae. tomentosa from a distance by means of the colour of the sepals, which 

 give the inflorescences a pinkish hue. Trees are rare in this neighbourhood. 

 At mile 68 : Aerua tomentosa again common. At mile 69 : Crotalaria burhia 

 and Eleusine sp. At mile 70 : Mimosa hamata abundant, and also a very large 

 grass, Panicum antidotale, previously noticed at Osian. [At mile 71 on more 

 gravelly soil : Elionurus hirsutus and Eleusine sp. abundant.] At mile 72 : 

 Calligomom, Elionurus hirsutus, Pennisetum cenchroides. At mile 76 : Eleusine 

 sp., Aristida hirtigluma (chiefly a rock grass), tufts of Panicum antidotale and 

 Pennisetum cenchroides, both species of Aerua. Calotropis procera is the com- 

 monest shrub up to about mile 77. [Beyond this point the soil again is more 

 gravelly, and Zizyphus sp. is predominant up to Phalodi. The grass is here very 

 short.] 



The dune vegetation round Phalodi, which shows several beautifully distinct 

 associations, has been described above. North of Phalodi there are large fields 

 of both species of Aerua, sometimes mixed, sometimes growing separately. 

 The low dunes met with were overgrown with grasses, Calligonum, and Blepharis 

 sindica. The road from Bap to Shihad first passes over gravelly ground for 

 about 7 miles. Then follow sandy plains, where Clerodendron phlomidis occurs 

 locally, together with Mimosa hamata and Lycium barbarum ; on the roots of 

 some of these shrubs Cistanche tubulosa is parasitic. Calligonum and 

 Leptadenia have entirely disappeared. Large tufts of Panicum antidotale 

 mingle with the shrubs. Patches of Eleusine famihes show green among 

 the surrounding stretches of Aristida mutabilis and other withered grasses, 

 the resulting association being observed at intervals upto Shihad. In other 

 places, particularly on the drier ridges, where the sand is looser, tufted 

 grasses grow such as Andropogon iwarancusa and Elionurus hirsutus. Acacia 

 Senegal occurs here and there on the grasslands, as also does Qrewia populifolia 

 A small lily, Dipcadi erythrcBum, now in fruit, is sparsely distributed 

 among the grass. ( A bulb flowered in Bombay. ) At Shihad the 

 most notable tree is Zizyphus rotundifolia. Between Shihad and Loharki, 

 Leptadenia again appears, but is not common until nearer to the 

 latter place. Qrewia populifolia associates witii Clerodendron phlomidis. 

 About half way, there is a rise in the ground, the soU being firmer and 

 more gravelly. Later sandy soil again predominates, with a vegetation 

 of Elionurus hirsutus, mixed with tufts of Pennisetum cenchroides and Andro- 

 pogon iwarancusa. Capparis decidua is now the predominant shrub. The 

 order Cucurbitacece is well represented. The sand gets finer as the road descends, 

 Calotropis procera becomes abundant, while Crotalaria burhia and Aerua tomen- 

 tosa attain an unusual size, associating with Panicum antidotale. Zizyphus 

 rotundifolia aboimds north of the road. The soil then again changes into gravel, 

 often barren, and finally the dune area described above is entered, Plate XIII-B. 

 showing its most eastern promontary. The road winds in and out among the 

 dunes for about two miles, the vegetation consisting chiefiy of Capparis, Lepta- 

 denia,Aerua pseudo-tomentosa, Citrullus vulgaris, Panicum turgidum and Panicum 

 antidotale. After having passed a few low ridges of reddish clay, the traveller 

 reaches Loharki. The dunes at this place have been described above. About 

 6 miles west of Loharki, the sand grass flora was well developed. We noted 



