Part 81 - Chuichchar field notes: route from Chusam, plant observations, and weather

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SUMMARY:
Notes a striking new Aconitum (longipedicellatum) in juniper patches and abundant Cyananthus lobatus along the route. Describes an 11-mile day from Chusam to Chuichchar at 13,000 ft with rain and muddy paths, Lumsden losing his braces, and a halt day exploring west of Chuichchar to collect and mark white-flowered plants and seeds.

CONTENT:
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2100 Aconitum longipedicellatum sp. nov. - long lax inflorescence & slender arching pedicels - a distinct & most striking species. - blue violet - never seen again
is also down here, in the little patches of juniper. A few Notholirion
campanulatum on the path from Chusam here, but very few & far
between. P. whitei has thrown its seed. Everything here has grown
enormously. The grass where not eaten is a couple of feet high.

22nd August. Chuichchar. 11 miles. 13000' After an awful night of
rain, it was just fine all day till about 2.0pm, then steady
but light rain the rest of the day. The path was in a filthy
mess all the way down. Cyananthus lobatus is lovely all the
way, particularly near Yarap & here. The Chusam gentian is
very common here among shrubs & rhododendrons. C. stylophora
is in seed but not yet ripe. Lumsden is in a peevish
temper today, having lost his braces in the morning! I
think because everyone laughed when they were found in
his bedding here, he is still more peeved.

23rd August. Halt. Fine till about 1.0pm. I went up the valley
W of Chuichchar, & had quite a good day. P. valentiniana is in seed,
barely ripe, P. 1621 has thrown a lot of seed, others are still some
in flower. Whole areas of steep hillside are absolutely covered
with Cyananthus lobatus. I saw three white plants, & marked
each with a stone. Also got seed of a white alpine Delphinium,