- 67 — 



p. 390) i. e. plants with the greatest number and the most 

 vigorous leaves placed at the base of the stalk: Ranunculus 

 oxijspermus and Sewersowi, Eremostachys, Astragalus macro- 

 nyx and sogdianus, Cachrys didyma, and to these may be 

 added a number of ephemerals e. g. Malcolmia Bungei and 

 africanum, Sisymbrium pumilum, Goldbachia laevigata. 



The presence of rosette and semi-rosette plants is also 

 in accord with an open plant covering, since a dense vegeta- 

 tion will favour plants with elongated shoots and high-placed 

 leaves. 



As regards the floral features, small flowers seem to be 

 more abundant than large ones, and white and yellow flowers 

 are more frequent than blue or red although the red species, 

 such as the poppies and tulips, are often prominent when 

 they occur in masses. 



Some idea of the diversity of the spring "vegetation of 

 the Semi-desert may be obtained from the following repre- 

 sentative lists of plants made in various localities. 



1. At Bami west of Askhabad; April 24"": Poa bulbosa, 

 Roemeria rhoeadiflora, and a red species of Tulipa are domi- 

 nant. Other species: Asperugo procumbens, Euclidium syriacum, 

 Malcolmia africana, Myosotis sp., Hypecoum trilobum, Spinacia 

 tetrandra, Ixilirion tataricum, Iris caucasica, Lepidium Draba 

 and perfoliatum, Trigonella monantha, Sisymbrium Sophia and 

 pannonicum, Koelpinia linearis, Matricaria lamellata, Papaoer 

 arenarium, Anagallis sp. and a few grey Artemisias. Beside a 

 house were some willow-bushes with catkins, but no leaves. 



2. North of Dshisak at the foot of West-Thianshan; 

 May 7"": Poa bulbosa and a grey strongly aromatic Artemisia 

 in places form the whole vegetation. 



3. Other places (near Balan Hur) are much richer, and 

 in addition to Poa, poppies and tulips, one finds Ixilirion 

 Pallasii, Carex stenophylla, Malcolmia Bungei, Cryptospora fal- 

 cata. Euphorbia pygmaea, Leptaleum fdifolium. Astragalus sog- 

 dianus, macronyx, mucidus, Solenanthus petiolaris, Gentiana 

 Olivieri, Eremostachys labiosa, Ranunculus Sewerzowi. 



