Part 37 - Field notes near Changla with descent to grassy plain; Primula and Lonicera observations

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SUMMARY:
The author follows a poor path near the Changla, then turns back and descends a small nala to a grassy plain bordered by cliffs and steep hillsides. The plain is covered with Mec. simplicifolia, with rhododendrons and a red Lonicera (2379–2383), and a striking primula (2385) thought to differ from a similar specimen collected at Mipa and seen in bud at Natrampa.

CONTENT:
But it certainly does not. It goes down a little, then level or up, keeping left handed till one must be facing east again. The path is not good, mostly over stony hillside, where there was little or nothing to be seen. I went on to about m 5 where there is a huge cliff on the left, with water coming through it, then gave it up. We were too high, there seemed no prospect of getting low enough for flowers. So turned back to a small nala about 1 m beyond the Changla, and went straight down this. It leads to a very nice grassy plain 150 yards broad and 300 yards or so long, with cliffs on the N and steep hillside on the South.

The plain is covered with Mec. simplicifolia in flower. On the N are a few rhododendrons and a pretty red Lonicera, 2379 - 2383. Before we got there, we came across a most beautiful primula 2385, which I think is different to a rather similar one collected at Mipa, also Dawing in bud at Natrampa. The leaves are very similar, though bigger, the flower is very much bigger, and it has the wrinkle of the orange eye hairy, which I did not notice in the Mipa one. It is a magnificent primula, but a