At greater altitudes, about 2200 m. above sea-level, the vegetation is rather mono- 

 tonous, chiefly consisting of mosses and various lichens, mostly Cladonia rangiferina, 

 and others of a like kind, generally not even affording sufficient food for horses. 



Fig. 45. A mountain lake in the Altaian, near the sources of the Sisti-kem, about the tree limit, 

 at an altitude of about 1800 m. above sea-level. Scattered conifers in the background; in the 

 foregroundBe/u/a pubescens, Alnus fmticosa, Janiperus communis var. nana, and Betula rotundi/olia. 



In the Altaian, the mountain sides with southern aspects were rather dry and hot, 

 frequently covered with different lichens, interspersed with some few mosses. Here 

 large areas were seen to be entirely overgrown with the magnificent yellow-flowered 

 Rhododendron chrysanihum, forming dense thickets to about 1 m. high. Moreover, in 

 similar habitats, among lichens, were frequently to be found: 



Rhododendron Anthopogon var. fragrans, Phyllodoce coerulea, Arclostaphylos alpina, 

 Gentiana altaica, Gentiana algida, Campanula pilosa, the large flowered Dracocephalum 

 altaiense, Dryas octopetala, Crepis chrysantha, Empetrum nigrum, and others. 



Especially on the moist, shady, and cool declivities with northern aspects and in 

 moist and shady valleys, the following markedly arctic species are common: 



Salix glauca, Salix Turczaninowi, Salix reticulata, Salix hastata var. subalpina, 

 Sedum Rhodiola, Cardamine belidifolia, Saxifraga sibirica var. eusibirica, Saxifraga 



74 



