Showing 3 results

SUMMARY:
Revisited Cheli La and collected flowers including Primula sikkimensis, Kashmir corydalis, and Bergenia ligulata; left Ha with Ludlow, ascended through rhododendron scrub to the pass with views of Chomolhari. Transport was by ponies, mules, and porters; spent the night at Chang na na amid a heavy thunderstorm and troublesome flies.

CONTENT:
30

B. 11. contd. not been able to do much either, birds being hard to find. On
Chomolhari the Cheli La again we found some more flowers, P. sikkimensis
massif from top (? P. obliqua 129), the Kashmir corydalis (Coryd. cash. 131) &
of Cheli La (Ha- a big red saxifrage (Bergenia ligulata 130). On 21st we
Paro). Views near left Ha, Ludlow & I fairly early, going straight up to the
Chang na na, Cheli La through the forest. The hill to the S. of the pass,
starting off in at the top, is densely covered with rhododendron scrub.
the morning: This seems to be a good flower place. We had a fair
the party on the view of Chomolhari from the top, a much more
road to Paro. impressive sight from the South than from the Natu La.
Transport consisted of ponies, mules & men & women. The
women seem to manage 80 lb loads as easily as the
men almost. Spent the night at Chang na na. A
B. 12. heavy thunder storm broke about 2.0 pm & nearly washed the
Paro dancers camp away. There are some awful flies here, which we
meet us near

SUMMARY:
Specimens from 4000–6500 ft are listed, and during a journey to Chungkar the writer found Primula filipes in bloom on a cliff and in profusion near Kheri Gompa, with notes on seed timing and scarcity of other flowers. Conditions were very dry compared to the previous year, with only Rhododendron arboreum in flower and fair weather. The following day’s halt at Kheri Gompa yielded nothing notable.

CONTENT:
all between 4000 - 6500ft
Lobelia pyramidalis 1123, Cymbidium cyperifolium 1124, Corylopsis himalayana 1125. Primula filipes 1126
Gentiana capitata 1127, Daphne bholua 1128, Lindenbergia grandiflora 1129, Arisaema nepenthoides 1130
Bergenia ligulata 1131, Dendrobium heterocarpum 1132

23rd Feb. CHUNGKAR 6500 12 miles. I left at 6.0 am, in high
hopes of finding some good flowers on the rock face at about
mile 8 or 7. But we are too early yet. The country is very
dry indeed, & where last year the cliff was covered in soaking
wet moss, this year it was all dry as dust. Signs were
seen of Primula sherriffiae (552) & P. ludlowii (554) in the dry moss, just waiting for damp
to bring them on. The only interesting flower seen was
P. filipes, 1126, found among P. sherriffiae & P. ludlowii (552 & 554) on the same cliff.
It was in full bloom. Not a very pretty primula, but
dainty, with 5 or 6 flowers on a stem. Colour varies from white
to heliotrope where it is in shade. Also found at Kheri Gompa
close to Chungkar, just beside the road immediately under the
Gompa & straight up towards the Gompa from there in profusion.
Seeds should be ready in 2 or 3 months. Last year we
failed to find seeds of P. ludlowii (554), but found some
this year. The seed pod is very low, right down level with
the branching of the leaves which are depressed. Other flowers
were very scarce, only rhododendron arboreum is out. Weather
fair & bright till midday & clear again in the evening.

24th Feb. Halt. Went up to Kheri Gompa but found nothing of any

• SUMMARY:
  Notes list plant collections from Tibdey La and record presenting HH with a wireless set that worked well. Tsonpen Tenduk went to Tibdey La and collected Lobelia nubigena; HH organized football and sports with a large tea party. A picnic included discussion of a forest scheme contingent on prices in Calcutta and agreement from lamas, with prices noted for Sealdah and Mathanjuri.

CONTENT:
P. tanneri 3477 - Tibdey La
Tibdey La
P. yargongensis 3487 (Upward 3488)

• 28th July
  Rhododendron bulbulifolium 3479
  Codonopsis nervosa 3482
  Lobelia nubigena 3489
  Gent. elwesii 3480
  Bergenia ligulata to Tibdey La up to 16,000 ft.

I presented HH with the wireless and heard it one evening, when it worked very well indeed. [Tsonpen Tenduk went off on 27th to the Tibdey La to look for a giant lobelia or anything else which they could see that was new. They got the Lobelia (nubigena) and a few other quite interesting flowers.]

We had another game of football in pouring rain on 30th, and before the end, the ground was covered in water: but it was good fun. On 31st HH arranged to have sports, which included boxing, relay race, women's race, three legged race and high jump. It finished up with a race for the women of the local villages, and then HH gave a "tea party" - tea and rice - to everyone present, about 400. I then found that he had quietly been doing this and giving money to winners, in my name.

[We had a picnic on 29th, and while there I tackled HH about forests. At first he was not anxious to speak, but eventually he was persuaded or had persuaded himself and told me to take up the idea, depending only on whether Tobgye could get a good price in Calcutta, and whether the lamas would agree. He mentioned all this again when I left, and seemed really pretty keen on it. The two prices quoted to Tobgye seem pretty good. One is for Rs 30/- at Sealdah per ton of 50 cubic feet. The other is for Rs 22/- per ton at Mathanjuri. These work out to show a