156 AN ANALYSIS OF THE FLORA OF SINAL 



north and north-west of Africa — with the Atlantic islands, on the other 

 side, we come on an unexpected result, the two totals being almost exactly 

 equal. The increased number of Mediterranean species westwards almost 

 exactly counterbalances the majority of eastern forms. Several of these 

 western forms are weeds of cultivation. 



In concluding these remarks, I will observe that an analysis of the 

 distribution of the nearest allies to the endemic species of Sinai does not 

 lead to any distinct result, these being sometimes Desert and sometimes 

 Plateaux. A good proportion, however, point to eastern and north-eastern 

 sources for the original home of the Sinai forms. 



ON THE FLORA OF THE GHOR, OR VALLEY OF THE DEAD SEA. 



I have already mentioned that I gathered about 225 sorts of flowering 

 plants at the south end of the Dead Sea. Many of these are not found 

 in Canon Tristram's list, which contains, on the other hand, several I 

 did not meet with. Again, at the northern end of the Dead Sea, in the 

 neighbourhood of Jericho, a good many more species occurred, enough to 

 raise the total to at least 250. Here, and in other oases around this 

 barren sheet of water, Canon Tristram has found dififerent southern 

 species, chiefly at Engedi and 'CalHrhoe.' This group, enlarged by my 

 additions, may be regarded as an arm of the Desert flora thrust up the 

 Wady 'Arabah to its northern limit. The remainder of the Ghor plants 

 are chiefly Mediterranean species, often of a very local type, or ranging 

 east to Persia. Many widespread European species also occur, especially 

 at Jericho. 



The past climatic conditions of Sinai have been already spoken of. 

 The tropical flora of the Ghor (which I will presently enumerate) pro- 

 bably dates from a time when Sinai had a richer flora than at present, 

 and when a continuous vegetation, similar to that at present in the 

 Ghdr es Safieh, but probably of largely increased variety, extended from 

 Nubia and Arabia, most prominently, no doubt, along the valley of the 

 'Arabah. 



Since this period the chain has been broken in various places, and 

 many forms now isolated in the Gh6r have their nearest habitat in Sinai, 

 while not a few are found no nearer than Nubia, Abyssinia, and tropica) 



