396 



CABUL TO BAMEAN. 



The vegetation in the snow ravine was rich, and varied in the 

 swardy spots : Ranunculi 2, Swertia 2-3, Gentiana a fine one, Junci, 

 Carices, Euphrasia, Triglochin, Veronica as before, Cardaminoides ; 

 near the snow in sward, a pretty Primula in flower ; two other Pedicu- 

 lares. A Brynum on the dry parts of the ravine, two Astragali in 

 flower 2-3, Cruciferse, Echinops, Carduacea?, Silene pusilla, Stellaria, 

 Campanula odorata, Rutacea about springs, Parnassia ? Astragali 

 3-4, in flower, long past this elsewhere, Thalictrioi^es, Secaloides. 



See Catalogue Nos. of exposed face ; Staticoides of Yonutt, 



Graminse 998, Carduacese very common, Statice alia? rare. 



The hill over which the pass runs, is chiefly covered with a herba- 

 ceous Carduacea out of flower in profusion, one or two Astragali, an 

 Artemisioid, small Composite, and the abundant Carduacese of Yonutt, 

 Astragaloid pinnulis on the west side, Koollah hujareel, Statice, 

 Macrantha dentatis ; a spinous leaved Carduacea, different from the 

 Zamea leaved ones out of flower, Gramin. 998 common, Chenopodioid ? 

 Arenaria spinosa, Onosma, Carduacea alia, two or three Astragalus 

 primus. Altogether the vegetation is different from that of Oonnoo, 

 in the comparative absence of Statice, Dianthoid, and Astragali. 



Similar swardy spots occur on the west of the pass, a large Swertia, 

 Caraganoid, Carices, etc. as before, Gentiana of Yonutt, a new 

 Potentilla, Salix fruticosa ; here also occurs the first Orchidea I 

 have seen in Khorassan : it belongs to the tribe Orchis, but is out of 

 flower. On the 1st of Sept., I re-crossed Hajeeguk, directing my way 

 again into the snow ravine from the top of the pass, and found a 

 number of plants, for which see Catalogue. A Campanula abundant 

 about springs at 12,400 feet. The vegetation of the ravine close by 

 the little fort is rich, and would repay two or three days' halt, as 

 it runs a long way up the antimony hill, Swertia in profusion, 

 Geranium also, Stellaria, a fine Conyzoidia. 



I had here an opportunity of observing the curious effect of a patch 

 of snow in retarding vegetation, all the plants about, being as it were 

 a spring flora, even such as at similar elevations elsewhere, were all 

 past seed ; such as Astragalus primus. Again, why do some plants 

 flower sooner at such elevations than at other lower places ? such as 

 Cardamine, here past flower, but not commencing at Cabul ; is it 

 because this plant will flower in the winter in Cabul ? so there may 

 be a law requiring such plants to flower in wintery situations by a 

 certain time ? The idea is perhaps absurd, as their growth depends 

 exclusively on the power of the sun. 



