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SUMMARY:
Field notes record multiple alpine plant collections and seed gathering around Putrang La, including Codonopsis seed collected below Lhapso Dzong at about 11,000 feet on 31/03/1938. The diary also notes damage to baggage from donkey transport and a descent toward the Tsangpo amid poor transport arrangements.

CONTENT:
Putrang La
vellereum

3587. Rhododendron sp. E. side common from 15000' - 12500'. SEED taken.
3588. Androsace sp. E. side common from 14000 - 12000. SEED taken.
3589. Rhododendron sp. W. side common from about 16000' SEED taken.
      3586 A. Gentiana Waltoni. E. side common from 14 - 12000' SEED taken.
      No. no. Gentiana nubigena E. side. A very few seed taken.
3590. Codonopsis vinciflora E. side. A few SEED taken at about 12000'.

A few signs of P. Jaffreyana seen on the dry banks about 12000'. No seed seen.

3592. Primula atrodentata. Not yet in flower.

3591 A. Codonopsis vinciflora. SEED collected below Lhapso Dzong. 11000'. 31.3.38.

Ludlow 25
Our baggage has suffered much during the past few days. The boxes in many cases have been smashed by donkey ropes colliding with each other or with rocks & boulders in narrow places.

Ludlow 26
Descent to Tsangpo

Bad transport arrangements

SUMMARY:
Knight arranges to forward mail to Tsona or Sangachöling, with plans to have someone at S.C. bring it on. The diarist travels in heavy rain from Cyandro to Kyimpu, changing coolies en route, and notes several alpine plants, hoping to find Gentiana amoena in flower on the Leda.

CONTENT:
Knight fixed about the mail, but he will always forward mail either to Tsona or to Sangachöling. We must get someone at S.C. to bring it on to us. I think perhaps this is the best way of doing it.

26th July. Cyandro. 12 miles. Rained all day very hard. Nothing seen at all till near Cyandro, where I saw a good deal of that pretty vinca-blue creeper 2423 (Codonopsis vinciflora), collected again under a new number. Here there is one big Aconite (Aconitum orochryseum sp. nov. 2433, viridiflorum 2433) 5 1/2 - 6 ft tall, but nothing else of interest seen. Had to change coolies half way, but there was not very much delay, as notice had been sent on. Great hopes for tomorrow: we should find some good things on the way up the Leda, & I hope that Gentiana amoena will be in flower on the top.

27th July. Kyimpu. 12,500. 12 miles. Yesterday was really a foul day; it rained all evening then all night. Today was reasonably fine till about 10. Then rain hard all day. There was not very much to be seen all day - on the way up a small campanula & a very small Meconopsis (Meconopsis 2451), with fine blue flowers. Gentiana amoena seems hardly any further on than when I was there last, three weeks ago. Near it were two Cremanthodium (Cremanthodium sherriffii 2458, Cremanthodium purpurifolium 2454), one of which I had (Rhododendron lepidotum 2447, Codonopsis convolvulacea 2448, Cyananthus incanus 2452, thermile 2457, Fritillaria fusca sp. nov. 2459).

SUMMARY:
Notes describe packing issues near S. Chöling, hospitality from Ama Ayalmo, and a report that Tenduk collected seedlings up the Drichu-chu. Entries for early November cover travel from Kyimpu to Nyeron and on to Chayul Dzong with seed collecting (including Gentiana waltonii, Primula spp., and a new Fritillaria), weather observations, and dealings with Dzongpens and passports.

CONTENT:
81

About S. Chöling ran as far as Chunchar. It was hard on them having to do this, they should have been told to leave what they had at S. Chöling with Ama Ayalmo. She has been very kind to us all. I had a large feed with her this morning when starting off. I hear from Tarlur that Tenduk went up the Drichu-chu and was successful in getting good seedlings of Meconopsis sherriffii and also a good haul of seed, as well as some Primula cawdoriana and Primula jucunda? .

2nd November. To Kyimpu. Fine. Clouded all night, rain at 2.0 pm. Got a good collection of Gentiana waltonii (6652) 6 packets, and Primula jaffreyana 2 packets. Rhododendron lanatum var. luciferum has set no seed at all this year. From a hundred capsules or more, we got a dozen seed. Little snow on the Drichu-chu, or up these hills. Collected some more Codonopsis vinciflora, the tubers locally called KIBU eaten.

3rd November. To NYERON. Fine bright all day. No clouds after crossing the Lela. There were low clouds last night, and a good deal of fresh snow on the Main Range. This is the first really clear day we have had, and are obviously in the dry zone now. The atmosphere is as dry as it could be, and already my nails are beginning to split. Left camp about 7.0 am; in at 4.0 pm, but about 4 miles further on than Ayandro, where locals are scarce. After a long search I found about 7 capsules of the new Fritillaria on the Lela, but only one bulb. The ground was frozen under the surface, and made it difficult to dig up bulbs. We also got some Gentiana amoena forma pallida, which showed very large capsules. The capsules of the Fritillaria are squat; about 1/2" high, the bulb is quite white, and 2"-3" below the surface. Primula consocia had thrown all its seed. We got another 3 packets of Gentiana waltonii, so I now have eleven. A man from Tsona told us in Kyimpu that Tarlur was not well in Chayul Dzong, but had gone on. I do hope he gets over the Pö La alright. After that he should have no great trouble. I hardly expect to get any seed from now on until we reach the Nyam Sang Chu, which I hope will be on the 12th.

4th November. Chayul Dzong. Rather a late start, in at 12 noon. There are two Dzongpens here, one of whom is the old one of 1936. He seems very happy and does not worry about us in the least. The other one wants to see our passport, which I'm sure Pinko must have shown when Ludlow was here. Wind very strong up the valley here. Found a few Primula tibetica seed on the way.

SUMMARY:
Diary entries record fine weather, observations of flowering Gentiana and seed collecting of Primula species around Kyimpu Halt and Le La. On 4 October the author moves to a camp north of Drichung La, parts from Ludlow and Lumsden, and continues with Ahmad Sheikh, Tsongpen, and Pimbo toward Trim while continuing seed collections.

CONTENT:
Scrophularia & Codonopsis vinciflora. Androsace not yet ripe, & G. waltonii is in full flower.

2nd October. Kyimpu Halt. A fine day with sun all day. The Drichung La has a lot of snow, but it should soon go with this sun. Went up to the Le La, & saw G. amoena in full flower. Got a fine haul of seeds of P. nivalis (macrophylla?) & a similar higher altitude one. Most are barely ripe yet, as P. cawdoriana, P. rotundifolia. A little Mec. bella found.

3rd October. Kyimpu Halt. A perfect day, even the hills being clear of cloud almost all day. Stayed in camp & dried & packed seeds.

4th October. Camp N of Drichung La. 15000'(?) 7 miles. Fine, but cloudy except from 8.0 am till 1.30 pm. Quite a good day for seeds again, but P. cawdoriana is not yet ripe. Left Ludlow & Lumsden behind, will next see them in India, at Dirang Dzong about the end of November. Ahmad Sheikh & Tsongpen accompany me, & Pimbo as far as Trim to make the bandobast. Seeds of P. nivalis sp very common & ripe 2719. They are the same as the Le La seeds 1561(2). Also a Primula like P. atrodentata, but I think perhaps different 2722. Snow lies about 500 ft above camp, & thence to the top. I handed over my gun

SUMMARY:
After heavy rain, the writer reached Damthang and rediscovered a striking blue Codonopsis near Hatö village, planning to mark plants for seed and corm collection. The next day they returned to Ha via Ha La, photographed Meconopsis habitat, and noted abundant Polygonum vacciniifolia. A remark notes that Tasho remains unmoved by commendable deeds in Bhutan.

CONTENT:
deserves the thanks of everyone in Bhutan for what he has done. It leaves Tasho unmoved. He hardly thinks of such things at all.

16th August Damthang. We left this morning after a night of very heavy rain, at 9.30 were in Damthang at 1.30. The only interesting thing which happened on the way was the finding again of the very lovely Codonopsis which I got in 1937 under 3568. This we failed to find near Paro where originally taken, & was very worried about it. But here - just below Hatö village - we found many plants, & should have no real difficulty in getting seed & corms fit in October. I will in any case have them marked with stakes. The flower is most beautiful, a bright vivid blue, & bigger than Codonopsis vinciflora. This is shown up well by a wine red ring 1/2" diam in the centre of the flower, & a rusty brown large globular stigma. Otherwise it is just like C vinciflora. If we get this introduced, it should be a great attraction at home. The corms or tubers are like potatoes, & can be as much as 2" long.

17th August. Return to Ha via Ha La. The day started well, after heavy rain at night, & B & I got up to the Ha La by 9.30 in drizzling rain. But when we reached the place where Mec. superba grows, between the two passes, the sun came out & we had one hour quite bright again. During this I took some habitat photos of the Mec., which of course is now in unripe fruit. It was very pretty up there, as flowers are still numerous. The most beautiful is certainly Polygonum vacciniifolia sprawling over rocks & forming huge clumps of bright rich pink.

SUMMARY:
Notes on identifying gentians from Kashong-la and Chagu-la, persistent rain, wireless reception with Olympic Games results, and packing specimens. Describes marches on 6–7 August from Bung to Shö along the left bank with transport details, elevations, and plant observations, including Codonopsis and Dracocephalum.

CONTENT:
cannot find the very similar yellow one. The big gentian from the Kashong-la must be G. phyllocalyx. The big one on the Chagu-la G. waltonii. It rains every day here, off & on, & last night - today is 4th - it rained without ceasing from 3 pm right through the night till 5.0 am. We have got the wireless up & get fairly good reception in the early morning news at 6.15 am. Have heard a certain amount of the Olympic Games results. I have packed up to leave here, four store boxes full of flowers, & another divided between flowers & birds.

6th Aug. Bung. 12 m. 12000'. Left at 7.15 am with 23 pony loads, or rather mostly dzo loads. At m 4 changed transport. Route on L bank the whole way & pretty easy, keeping after m 4 about 400 ft above the river. Bung is a large cultivated fan. Saw much Codonopsis vinciflora, the blue Dracoceph. & a white one with blue tube. Otherwise little to be seen. Fine all day, except for one shower.

7th August. Shö. 12900'. 4 m. Clouded all day, after a rainy night. Fine till the afternoon. Route keeps well above the L bank all the way along a good path. A large chorten is passed.

SUMMARY:
Slight rain on the descent from Bela La to Paro; arrival about 1 pm, followed by a visit from Paro from 2 pm to 6 pm, whose over-familiar manner and open dislike of the Maharaja are noted, with mention of the death of his mother Ashi Palden and inquiries about floating logs down the Wangde Chu. Botanical notes record Cyananthus incanus (3564), Cyananthus lobatus (3565), Codonopsis convolvulacea (3568), and a Codonopsis resembling C. vinciflora with a wine-red ring at the corolla base and hairs to the ring.

CONTENT:
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Bela La - Paro. Aug 10 Cyananthus incanus 3564, Cyananthus lobatus 3565 Codonopsis convolvulacea 3568
11-12000ft.
92

Slight rain today. Arrived in about 1.0pm. Then Paro came to me at 2.0pm stayed till 6.0pm. He is quite easy to talk to and has lots to say, but I'm not sure that I like him very much. He is too friendly - in fact he embraced me many times, rubbed his forehead on my chest and clutched my hand for as long as he could. He most certainly does not like the Maharaja and said so pretty openly. The late Maharaja he liked but not this one. He sometimes says one thing, sometimes another; he never told him I was coming so on and so on. I did not like the way he talked at all. A good deal is probably due to the death of Ashi Palden his Mother, who had a very good influence over him. I fancy he was trying to get something out of me, and was asking about floating logs down the Wangde Chu.

On the way down from the pass we found a Codonopsis which looks like Codonopsis vinciflora, but has a ring of wine red at the base of the corolla and hairs from the base to the ring