
          -9-

The following account of southern Iran, written in the field
during May, provides general descriptive notes as a background for
the collections obtained in the Lowland Area and much of the Plateau
Area as well.

The climate of southern Iran is an arid Mediterranean type and
is very similar to that of southern California from the Tehachepi
Mountains south. Like California it is more moist on the west and
dry desert on the eastern side of the Goshkai-i-Bahktiari ranges.  These
are part of the great Zagros Range.  Unlike California, however, it
has no maritime fog belt.  In southern Iran, they say they have no
summer thunder showers, while these are of annual though light occurence
in the San Bernardino and San Jacinto Mountains of southern
California.  Both areas occupy about the same latitudes and both have
elevations from near sea level to over 10,000 feet.  Except for some
edaphic differences, plants from  either world would grow in comparable
habitats of the other.

Physiographically, southern Iran is a "Basin and Range Province", 
as bolsons of large and small size are numerous and with the sharply
ascending rocky-sided mountains characterize the topography distinctly.
Due to the lack of summer cloud bursts, the conspicous, high ascending
conglomerate fans clogging the mouths of our south-western canyons
are here absent and the gulch-gulleyed U-shaped arroyos as well.
Under the slow light beat of winter rains only, these Persian bajadas
are low, even, and lighly laced by the imbricated patterns of sheet-flooding.
Mountains all by swallowed by the alluvium of the valleys
are widely common and give the appearance of disjuncts because the
        