394 ME. M. p. PRICE ON THE VEGETATION OF 



Aroiutum sp. were found. This flora continued all the way to the summit. 

 At 6500 feet Eosa spinosissima was seen. Both Larch and Siberian Pine 

 reached the summit in a creeping form, and there were many places where 

 dead logs of trees were lying. 



The southern slopes of the Tannu-ola mountains between the Mongol guard 

 posts of " Borgitaita "' and " Bogdhonholaf were bare, and covered with 

 plateau-desert flora. There were two distinct subdivisions of this association 

 here^ one of which was characterised by Caraijana arborescens and Cotoneaster 

 melanocarpa. The other subdivision lay in those parts more exposed to the 

 suUj and was represented by Fotentilla xericea, Spiraa hyper'u-ifolia, Arenaria 

 capillarit:, Stipa caplUata, Oxytropis tnKiacanthoides, ChenopoJimn frutescens, 

 Anemone Bungeana. 



The North-West Slongolian plateau between the Tannu-ola mountains and 

 the Great or Chinese Altai range presents a large tableland stretching north 

 and south some 300 miles and averaging some 5000 feet in altitude. Both 

 of these ranges of mountains converge westwards into the complex 8il.)erian 

 Altai system. The level of the jjlateau is lowest round the evaporating 

 basins, and at Lake Ubsa sinks to 2.'lli) feet, while at Achit Nor it is about 

 4000 feet. There are many lofty ranges and disjointed mountain masses on 

 this plateau running up to 13,000 feet. The first of these ranges, which the 

 expedition came to after crossing the Tannu-ola mountains, ran from north- 

 west to south-east, and joined the western extremity of the Tannu-ola near 

 the point where it converged into the Siberian Altai system. The river 

 draining from this range into Lake Ubsa was called by the natives the 

 Saklya River, and hence the name of Saklya mountains was given to the 

 range from which it sprang. It was found that the floral association of 

 the plateau-desert in the valley of the Saklya River, between 4000 and 

 6500 feet, contained plateau-desert type represented by Artemisia an/z/nrfolia, 

 Anemone Regeliana, Artnaria capiUaris, and Curaijana xpinosa. Between 

 6000 and 7500 feet there were patches of Larch forest with its accompanying 

 association, represented by Aamitum sp. and Spinra. From 7300 to 9000 feet 

 there was a large development of Alpine meadow with scattered peat-bogs. 

 The characteristic flora here was represented by EriopJwrum Scheuchzeri 

 Dracocephalum imberhe, Epilohium lurautum, Sa.nfixuja melaleuca, PotentiUa 

 niveu, Erujeron unijiorii.^, Cerastium litliospevmifoUum, ('area: melanantlia 

 Seiiecio aurantiacus, Myosotis sylvatica, Pedi<:ularis versicolor, Primula 

 nivalis. 



Crossing from the Saklya River into the valley of the Kundelun, which is 

 also a western tributary of Lake Ubsa, the expedition traversed stony desert- 

 plateau lying between 5500 and 6500 feet. -A.11 the way there was almost a 

 complete absence of vegetation, and the only species met with were Stipa 

 capillata and Agropyron cristatum. In some places only dry stems of 

 ■Stipa capillata were seen, showing that the herb had grown earlier in the 



