294 - ' ON THE FLORA OF MOAB. 
serves the name, was the curious and abnormal Moringa aptera, observed 
both by Mr. Lowne and myself at Engedi. : 
It only remains for me now to say a few words about the plains of 
Shittim and the north-east shores of the Dead Sea, between that and the 
mouth of Kallirrhoé. It was the middle of March by the time we 
before; a third of the twenty-three Gramina were collected ih the Seisi- 
x à à 
D. 
0 : 
possible to explore the whole district. At the time we were there the 
place seemed already suffering from lack of rain, and the ripe grasses had 
quite an autumnal look in March, whilst the Sirocco blowing dried every- 
thing to tinder. 
monest plant next to these was a little dwarf Campanula (C. dichotoma), 
its deep blue bells dotted among the stones. The borders of the streams 
which come down from the mountains every few miles, were fring 
with deciduous trees, whose bright light green foliage formed a refresh- 
mg Contrast to the dull olive green line of the more usual shrubs 
of the country, such as Atriplex Halimus, Zizyphus Lotus, Retama 
Retem, and Moringa aptera. Large bushes of a hawthorn (Crataegus) not 
ret in flower, still more pleasantly reminded one of English verdure ; He 
old friends of Kallirrhoz ia cordata and Cleome trinervia, occurre 
Wscu. : 
ander) reached down the streams nearly to the shore, whilst maiden po 
(Adiantum) flourished in a waterfall not more than twenty yards from 
rees growing on the cliffs overhanging the water, clinging in ter 
where a miniature gorge brings down a trickling fall of wa id 
and dotted right up the mountain side in some places as far as one CO 
see. 
This feature is one of the most conspi in the present difference 
between the two sides of the sea. O NEE ced not a rae of the palm 
exists, save on a little clump found by Dr. Tristram in a sequeste Br 
nook of Mons Quarantania, the sole remnant of. the trees of J ericho, on 2 
> city of palms; and at Hazezon-Tamar or Engedi, petrified in the ee 
