SINO-MONGOLIAN FRONTIER 
beautiful plant surpasses in intensity that of 
any other blue flower of these parts. This plant 
usually grows on dry, bare spaces, seeming to thrive 
better when absolutely free from other plants. 
The Rock Rose (Helianthemum) is another of the 
mountain flowers. 
Several varieties of Dock occur, in which con- 
nexion one must mention the Wild Rhubarb. 
This grows very extensively in the mountains 
of North Shansi and Chihli, and is also abundant 
in the low hills of Inner Mongolia. It is of an 
excellent flavour. The natives have discovered 
the medicinal properties of its roots. 
In all the northern provinces the Mistletoe is 
found, growing chiefly on the Elm and the Poplar. 
The peculiarity of the Chinese Mistletoe is that 
the berries, instead of being white, are a brilliant 
red or yellow, which make it very ornamental. 
In Monocotyledonous plants North China is 
not over abundant. 
Several varieties of Iris occur, the commonest 
of which is the Flag. This plant grows in tufts 
all over North China and is one of the commonest 
plants in the grasslands of Inner Mongolia. A 
small but strikingly beautiful Iris occurs in North 
Shansi in the mountains round K’uei-hua-ch’éng. 
This flower ranges from deep purple to pink in 
colour and is beautifully marked. A tall, thin- 
stemmed, narrow-leaved, small-blossomed variety 
occurs, though somewhat sparsely, from the sea 
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