530 | THE VEGETABLE WORLD. 
portion of Europe in the one direction, and with its middle region 
on the other. It has its own peculiar character, nevertheless, from 
the predominance of certain families, such as the Leguminosex, 
Ranunculacexe, Crucifers, Siliacesze, and Umbellifers, some genera 
of which are remarkable for the number of their species. We 
may quote genus Astragalis among the Legumes; the Sprrea 
among Rosals; the Artemisia among the Compositez ; and the Rhu- 
barb among the Polygonacez. Considering the mean annual tem- 
perature which ranges there, from 2° to 6° above zero, we cannot 
reckon on a condition of vegetation very varied. Leafy forests are 
formed by the Siberian Larch, the Daurique Larch, the Siberian 
Pine, the Cimbrian Pine, and Pinus sylvestris, &c.; White Poplars 
and isolated Balsamic plants, some species of dwarf Birches, 
Service trees, Blackberries, Alders, Willows, “accompany them, 
while Myrtles and Alpine Roses form the under-shrubs. The 
Flora of the Steppes of Kamtschatka does not differ materially 
from that of the pasturages of central Europe. According as the 
spectator expects these to be rich or sterile, he is the more or 
less surprised to find stately Tulips and graceful Irises mingling _ 
with the grassy turf in spring, but the Absinthe, or Wormwood, 
_ Artemisia, and other monotonous forms of vegetation, succeed , 
them. : a 
Humboldt assigns to the forests of the Oural the vegetation — 
characteristic of a park. ‘They present,” he says, “an alternation 
consisting of a mixture of Aceracex, round-leaved plants, and other 
magnificent trees; an assemblage which is completed by masses 
of brushwood, formed by Wild Roses, Honeysuckles, and Juni- 
pers, whilst the Hesperis, the blue-petalled Polemonium, Cortusa, ] 
Mathiola, magnificent Primroses, and Larkspurs, form a perfect — 
carpet of flowers; while the Water Trefoil, with white blossoms 
and delicately carved leaves, is the grace of the marshes.” He 
saw also “on the banks of the Irtisch great spaces entirely coloured 
with red by Epilobiwm, with which were associated the tall-stemmed 
Larkspurs (Delphinium), with blue flowers, and the fiery-searlet 
Lychnis Chaleedonica.” S 
These fragmentary pictures, which we borrow from Muller's 
“ Wonders of the Vegetable World,” give an idea very different 
no doubt from that usually entertained of the vast regions included 
in Northern Asia. 
