— 201 — 



Palezkij says about IOV2 metres and more, and Jonsson 

 states that Saxaul has both deep-seeking vertical and long 

 horizontal roots. The latter, according to Antonow (p. 29), 

 can form aerial shoots. 



On account of its slow growth Saxaul is not much 

 employed in sand-binding plantations. Yet, as stated above 

 (p. 89), LipsKY denies that the growth is very slow. 



The leaves are reduced to small scales ari-anged in pairs 

 opposite each other and united together. The young branches 

 are long, slender and drooping (see for instance Bessey, 

 pi. 10, LiPSKY 1911 pi. 4 and 5). 



The year-shoot is green, its bark containing the only 

 assimilating tissue of the plant. Most of the shoots are set 

 together towards the apex of the previous year-shoot, the 

 distal part of which frequently dies away. Sometimes two 

 shoots of the same age are seen in the same leaf-axil, one 

 outside the other, but the outer one is generally more feebly 

 developed, and it is improbable that both of them ever 

 persist. The year-shoots are branched and they bear flower- 

 ing short-shoots (see fig. 14). 



The flowers are inconspicuous and open in May. Each 

 flower is protected by its subtending leaf-sheath and by two 

 bracts. The perianth, on the contrary, is small before the 

 anthesis but afterwai'ds it grows larger. The fruit is a small 

 nut loosely enveloped by the broad - winged perianth, and is 

 ripe in October. 



The anatomy of Haloxylon has been described by Gernet, 

 Gheorghieff, Warming and B. Jonsson. The structure of 

 the assimilating shoot I found to be quite in accordance with 

 that described and illustrated by Warming (1897, p. 217), it 

 is of the ordinary centric type. The epidermal tissue is three- 

 layered. Assimilating tissue is also said to be present in the 

 secondary bark. (B. Jonsson p. 7). As regards the mucilaginous 

 cork in the bark mentioned by Jonsson, we refer to his memoir. 



Halostachys caspica (Pall.) C. A. M. 

 A shrub which belongs to the clay- and sali-desert. 

 Under specially favourable conditions it may attain a height 



