FAUNA AND FLORA OF SINAI, PETRA, AND WADY 'ARABAH. m 



not name the species positively. There seems, however, to be no doubt 

 about it. An addition to the flora of Palestine. 



Populus euphratica, Oliv. 'Aydn Buweirdeh in the 'Arabah ; Gh6r 

 es Safieh and el Feifeh ; by the Jordan below Jericho. Leaves of 

 various shapes, from linear or linear lanceolate to broadly ovate, rhomboid, 

 sinuate, inciso-dentate, lobed, or quite entire. A single mature tree near 

 the Dead Sea is of considerable size, with uniform foliage. A bush of 

 this species (saf-saf), I believe, occurs near the spring on Jebel Musa ; 

 but I unfortunately omitted to bring home a specimen. According to the 

 Arabs, who say it makes the best charcoal for gunpowder, it occurs in the 

 valley between Jebel M6sa and Jebel Kathartna, but is nearly all gone. 



ARACE^. 

 Arum (? sp.), ? A. dioscoridis, Sibth. Gaza. 

 Arum (? sp.). Summit of Mount Hor. 

 Arisarum, vulgare, Targ. Common about Gaza. 



PALM^. 



Hyphcene thebaica, Del. 'Akabah. Found also in Sinai at T6r. 

 'Akabah is the northernmost limit of the range of this palm. No doubt, 

 in former times, it ranged through Sinai more abundantly, and perhaps to 

 the Dead Sea. It would be interesting to submit some sections of the 

 sub-fossil palms found in the Gh6r to microscopical examination. Captain 

 Burton found this palm very frequent in Midian. Its headquarters are in 

 tropical Africa. 



Phcenix dactylifera, Linn, Frequent in Sinai and up the 'Arabah, 

 nearly to the Dead' Sea, but not occurring in the Ghor es Safieh ; Wddy 

 Ghuweir. A single well-grown tree at Er Riha or modern Jericho, in the 

 plain of the Jordan, seems to have escaped the observation of travellers. 

 A solitary tree in the convent at Mar Saba is said to bear a stoneless date. 

 The date-palms of Sinai are usually very poor specimens. 



TYPHACE^. 

 '''Typha angustata, B. et C. Wady Ghurundel (Elim) ; Wady el 'Ain 

 in two places. I feel sure I saw it in the Gh6r, but omitted to preserve 

 specimens. An addition to the flora of Palestine. 



