country, there may no doubt be separated larger or smaller stretches, which, in point 

 of the floral conditions, must be referred to the wooded steppe regions. 



There are, of course, no sudden transitions between these floristic regions, the 

 different natural conditions of which are, indeed, practically speaking, only depen- 

 dent on the height above sea-level and therewith in closest intimacy with the amount 

 of downpour, and where to draw the boundary line will therefore, in some measure, 

 have to be left to individual judgement. The fact is that the downpour, as already men- 

 tioned, is here wholly dependent on the loftier mountains, and the moisture gradually 

 decreases towards the lower tracts. 



For further particulars of these 4 floristic regions in the Urjankai country and 

 adjacent territories, I refer to the annexed map (no. 3), where I have made an attempt 

 to indicate very roughly their distribution, as far as the country is known in this 

 respect. Where nothing is inserted in the map, the country is as yet quite unknown in 

 point of floristic conditions. Unfortunately, on such an expedition of short duration 

 there is only little opportunity to study more closely each of these floral regions, and I 

 will in the following surs^ey only give a general phytogeografical description of the 

 various localities where we stopped long enough to enable me to study the general 

 composition of the vegetation. It will appear from this how the natural conditions, 

 and accordingly the vegetation as well, change their character in the different parts of 

 the country. 



The first of the floristic regions met with by the traveller coming from the 

 Siberian lowland, are the subalpine woodlands, which may also be. supposed to be 

 the region most widely distributed in the Urjankai country. 



I therefore intend to treat upon this region first. 



The Subalpine Taiga or Forest Territory. 



In the loftier mountain tracts in the Sayansk district there is, as will appear, a 

 comparatively copious downpour, and up to an altitude of from 1700 to 1800 m. above 

 sea-level, the land is covered with a dense, often nearly impenetrable mixed coniferous 

 virgin forest, chiefly consisting of Picea obovata, Abies sibirica, Piims Cembra var. 

 sibirica, Piniis silvestris, Larix sibirica, and of foliage trees are to be found less 

 abundantly, especially Belula pubescens, Populus tremula, Populus laurifolia, Alnus 

 fruticosa, and Primus Padus, etc. 



The bulk of the wood in the moist subalpine regions is made up of the three 

 first-mentioned, viz. the spruce, the silver-fir, and the cedar, and in drier habitats also 

 pine and larch occur. 



From the summits of the loftier mountains may be viewed interminable areas 

 covered with dense wood, the mighty, bushy and extensive cedar-crowns of a Hghter 

 colour mostly reaching higher ttian the surrounding trees and giving the forest a wild 

 and ragged appearance. The spruce and the silver-fir are not able to maintain their 



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