Part 107 - Discovery of a new lily, mail from Kalimpong, and march to Dhur

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SUMMARY:
The writer reports finding a new lily and abundant Notholirion macrophyllum, and receives mail from Kalimpong with news that Branklyn is for sale and may be acquired. A letter from Taylor confirms P. umbratilis roots arrived safely and began to show growth after soaking. On 23rd July they marched to Dhur, noting an uninteresting, damp route where two rivers join.

CONTENT:
certainly all has passed their flower, the many plants with no flower, had it not been for these coincidences. It is a new lily: it must be, isolated like that in Cent. Bhutan. It is not a startling flower, rather tubular 2 1/2" long, a brownish red, one or in one case only, 2-flowered. A new lily is what we have wanted all these years, now we have it. Lower down Rhododendron camelliiflorum was common. R. keysii v. common. Buddleja colvilei was all over the place - a magnificent shrub. Then near camp we came across masses of Notholirion macrophyllum. I have never seen so much anywhere. To add to my excitement, a large mail came in from Kalimpong, & in it, the very exciting news that Branklyn is for sale, & we are likely to get it. That just capped the day for us. I have taken bulbs of the lily to send home. A letter from Taylor says that the dried roots of P. umbratilis have arrived safely. He gave one to be microscopically examined & he soaked one for a night - to find it already showing green next morning. Altogether a very fine day to remember. The valley we came down is one which would well repay a thorough search. I wish I had chosen it instead of the Bumthang Chu, but one can't tell from the mouth of the valley what it will be like.

23rd July. DHUR, about 4 miles. Mostly fine, but very damp, & rain after 2.0pm. An uninteresting march down a filthy path. We were right out of the interesting zone today. There are some flowers, but they are low altitude ones & common. Here two rivers join, the Dhur and another from the N-West, almost equal size. That valley might also prove a good one to work. The more I see now of the country, the more I wish I had come up this way instead of waiting.