356 FLORA INDICA. 



northera slope of the Safed Koh range, whicli bounds the 

 valley of the Kabul river on the south, it being lofty, and snow- 

 clad almost throughout the year. The pines are Pinus excelsa 

 and Gerardiana, Abies Smithiana, and Cedrus Deodar a : of 

 these the deodar appears to be the most abundant. In the 

 temperate zone Juniperus excelsa is of occasional occurrence. 

 The oak of these forests is Quercus Ilex, a species which ex- 

 tends from the south of Europe as far as Kunawar. With 

 the oak, species of ^sculus, Olea, Myrtus, and Amygdalus 

 occur. 



In the tropical zone, which skirts the whole region, the 

 plants are the same as those of Sind and the Panjab, which 

 again are identical with those of tropical Arabia and of south 

 Persia. A few scattered pistacias, with Celtis and Dodonma, 

 are almost the only trees ; though in some valleys there are 

 small woods of Populus Euphratica. The date is cultivated 

 in Beluchistan and Southern Afghanistan up to 4500 feet, 

 and a dwarf palm [Chammrops RitcMeana of GriflBth, perhaps 

 identical with the Chamarops humilis of Europe) occurs abun- 

 dantly in many places, but with a somewhat local distribu- 

 tion. 



Above 4000 feet, or a little higher in Beluchistan, the 

 tropical gives place to the true oriental flora. Aromatic 

 shrubs, chiefly Artemisia and Labiatce, cover the plains, and 

 prickly Statice and Astragali abound on the dry hills. Cruci- 

 ferce, Umbelliferce, Boraginecs, Cynaracece, and CichoracecB are 

 extremely abundant, far more so than in India ; with Rosa, 

 Lycium, Berberis, and other Syrian shrubs. In early spring 

 there is here, as in the Mediterranean region, an extremely 

 luxuriant vegetation, and the genera, if not the species, are 

 the same. Hyacinthus, Lilium, Tulipa, Fritillaria, Narcissus, 

 Colchicum, Ixiolirion, Anemone, and Delphinium may be men- 

 tioned as instances. 



In many places the soil is saline, and the Chenopodiacece, 

 mentioned as natives of Tibet, as well as Glaux maritima, are 

 abundant. 



