FLORA. Along the Arctic coast there is a bar ren region from 150 to 500 miles wide, the Tundra, where only dwarf Arctic plants and mosses grow. South of this is an extensive region of forests, mostly coniferous in the north and deciduous trees in the south. To the southward of these mire great areas of pasture land which extend to the borders of the deserts. In the greater part of central and western Asia the vegetation is of desert-like character, but wherever the rainfall is sufficient there is the vegetation com mon to the moister temperate climates. South of the Himalayas the flora is essentially tropical, and mostly occurs with the luxuriance belonging to the well-wateled hot zone. The northern part of the continent differs little in general char acter of its productions from the corresponding parts of Europe and America. Pines, birches, and willows form, as in the other continents, the last forests of the north ; but on account of the more severe climate, they do met reach a limit so far northward as in Europe. Some of the common plant.; of Europe are abundant as far east as Kamchatka ; the crowberry (Em petrtun nignun), so plentiful on the moors of Scotland, is still more plentiful throughout Siberia ; the same Bilberries (Vaecinium) and Brambles (Rubus) abound in Kamchat ka as in Scandinavia. There, are, however, interesting differences. Heathers are compara tively rare in Asia, its flora agreeing in this respect with that of America rather than with that of Europe. The larch extends far north ward, at the mouth of the Obi, to the utmost limits of arborescent vegetation. In Kamchatka, a different kind of birch replaces the common birch of Europe as a, forest tree, and the Siberian stone pine is different from that of the south of Europe. Siberia in its less frigid and dry re gions produces a rich vegetation, of which her baceous plants. of a size unusually large for a eold or temperate climate, are a characteristic feature; among these may be mentioned species of rhubarb, angelica, aml eow-parsnip. In the abundance of currants the warmer parts of Si beria resemble North America. although most of the species are different.
To the south of the Altai Mountains in the Desert of Gobi and the plateau of Tibet the flora is very poor and scanty. owing to the severe
climate and the scarcity of rain. The flora of Asia Minor and of the watered parts of Syria has a general resemblance to that of the south of Europe, although exhibiting also features which belong rather to that of India or of Africa. Shrubby members of the Mint family are par ticularly characteristic of this region. The tropi cal flora of Arabia abounds in trees which yield fragrant balsams and resins, particularly those of the order Amyridaceie. Indeed, both the warmer temperate and the tropical regions of Asia excel other parts of the world in the number and variety of the odoriferous drugs which they produce, from myrrh and frankincense to asafoeti da. Arabia has long been noted for the produc tion of coffee, which is now also extensively eulti vated in other warm parts of Asia. The date palm is as characteristic of Arabia as it is of Egypt. Acaciss and mimosas also abound. 'flee flora of Persia in part resembles that of Arabia, although it is less tropical in eharaeter and the altitude of its mountains gives to it in some places a different character. The abundance of Seitamineie is regarded as particularly charac teristic of India ; the plants of this order yield ginger. galangal. cardamoms, turmeric, and other articles of commerce, among, which not the least important is a kind of arrowroot. Mem bers of the Pea family are also very numerous, both herbaceous and shrubby, or arbo•eseeut; many of them exhibiting great beauty of foliage and splendor of flowers, and some producing use ful kinds of pulse; others, timber, gum, medi cines, etc. The number of valuable medicinal plants which belong to the Indian flora is very great, as is also that of dyewoods; and flue of which the mango and mang,osteen may be particularly noticed. Cue•bitacea- (gourds) are very numerous; as are also trees of the genus Ficus (fig), some of which produce caout ehoue. and among which are the saered Peepul and the Banian-tree, so remarkable for the roots which descend from its branches to beeome new stems. and for the extent of ground which it canopies.