Showing 17 results

SUMMARY:
The diarist reflects on rainfall patterns across SE Tibet and suggests a rain-gauge transect from Sikkim to the Tsangpo Gorge. On 30 June heavy rain hampers collecting, with Meconopsis bella absent and only M. simplicifolia common; seed of P. atrodentata is ripe, and plans are made to try Marlung, Waitang, and Trompa-lun. On 1 July, despite very wet conditions, the diarist and one Bhutanese assistant go via the Chachhu La to a large high-altitude lake.

CONTENT:
the south side here, are lower than similar ones on the north side in SE Tibet. I can't see the reason, unless it be that rain does not reach the main range in any amount until about the first week in June, whereas it certainly does before that further east. A line of rain gauges at similar heights from Sikkim to the Tsangpo Gorge, on the actual rain axis would be most interesting.

30th June. Halt. Rain most of the day, especially morning. A thoroughly bad day for the last of the month. I went out round over the cliffs opposite camp & came back without getting a flower. It seemed ideal for Mec. bella for instance, but there was no sign. In fact the only common Mec. in this whole area is simplicifolia. I hope we will find Marlung better than here or Waitang. At any rate I plan to get over to the Trompa-lun somehow, & feel confident that will be better. But one cannot find out anything about these places without actually going. Locals will tell you anything without knowing, or nothing if they do know. Seed of P. atrodentata is now ripe. It is always the first to ripen.

1st July. Halt. A very wet day indeed, but I went out with just one Bhutanese to carry the press, & went up the Chachhu La route to a very big lake about 15000'. We had a good day on the whole, & had I only been living up there, I believe we would have done really well. Saw masses of

SUMMARY:
Notes from Tulung La pass describe harsh weather, sparse flowers on unstable shale, and a notable Meconopsis (bella, 708), with a sighting and attempted stalk of six bharal. At Longur there are acres of primulas, and on 23 July the party travels to Mago (Dyuri) in showery conditions, recording temperature, elevation, and abundant primulas along the route.

CONTENT:
37

Tulung La 22nd July pass.
Anemone rupicola 704
Primula sikkimensis 705
Primula bellidifolia 707
Meconopsis bella 708
With rain, mist, and wind, it was chilly up there. On the North side we saw 6 burhel, which I stalked. But we had only a 12-bore with lethal bullets, and I missed at 70 yards four times. Flowers we thought would be profuse, but the hillside is almost continually on the move, shale gradually falling down to the river bed, and everything gets covered with it. The most interesting flower was a new Meconopsis (708) [Meconopsis bella (708)], a pretty little thing, which we thought at a distance to be Paraquilegia.

NB: Here at Longur there are again acres of primulas, white and yellow—a wonderful sight.

184 23rd July. To MAGO (DYURI) 9 3/4 miles. B.P. 191.7° Temp. 53° = Corr. ht. 11350'. Again rather a disappointing day. After a clear night, it rained till noon then cleared up till 2.0 pm.
Primula tibetica (Sikkim?)
We walked through masses of primulas for several miles today. One would think that there should be plenty of flowers in that case. So there

SUMMARY:
Page lists numbered plant specimens with notes on flowers, growth form, and handling, alongside associated localities and day/month collection dates. Taxa include Androsace, Thalictrum, Notholirion, Codonopsis, Clematis, Primula, Lilium, and others.

CONTENT:
19488 Meconopsis bella Dhur Chu. 5/10
19494 Polygonum sp. big flower. " "
19497 Yellow orchid " " See these seed before sending home
19817 Onosma sp. " " v. few.
19814 Androsace sp. cushion " " [crossed out] ✓
18974 Androsace sp. 12"-18" Pangitang. 30/9.
19800 Androsace sp. white cushion. Namdatung 3/10.
19083 Cotoneaster sp. 15' tree. Shabietang. 6/10.
19815 Thalictrum chelidonii? " 6/10.
(2) 19498 Notholirion macrophyllum. Dhur Chu. 6/10 145
(3) 21819 Tree ? Shabietang 7/10
(2) 21820 Shrub ? " "
(3) 21821 - 19077 Tree 20' ? " "
2 21822 Eremurus " "
19815 Thalictrum chelidonii? Dhur Chu 5/10. 150
1 bag 19716 Allardia sp.
18683 Rhododendron ciliatum Kyikyi La. 13/10.
19544 Thalictrum chelidonii
19594 Pyrola sp. Yuto La 14/10.
19823 ? saccate tube. creeper. Tongsa. 15/10 155
(2) 19826 Codonopsis purpurea. " "
19827 Clematis sp. small red " "
19574 Primula flagellaris. Chendebi. 16/10.
19572 Gesneriaceae Streptocarpus? " "
(2) 19580 Dicentra sp. " " 160
4 + bag 19490 Lilium sp. var. Dhur Chu. 5/10
19573 Anemone sp. Chendebi 17/10.
19577 Campanula sp. " "

SUMMARY:
Notes list seed needs and collections with specimen numbers and plant observations (e.g., Meconopsis, Primula, Notholirion) from areas including Tongsa Chu valley, Bumthang, Kyikyi La, Yuto La, and Tongsa-Tashiling. Mentions locations such as a cliff below Mandating and a Yakherd hut, with additional observations near camp.

CONTENT:
Seed wanted from Tongsa Chu valley. From Bumthang
19437 Meconopsis bella cliff below Mandating. Clematis big.
19439 White Androsace. just below there. Honeysuckle " x
19441 ? pink striped flower " Briggsia yellow on trees. x
Notholirion hyacinthinum. at Yakherd hut. Podocarpum. x
19447 Primula geraniifolia
19464 " hopeana - some with red tube.
Fine big Polygonum just beside them.
19467 Big thistle.
Meconopsis horridula.
" sinuata.
19469 Primula pusilla
? glabra.
Anemone rupicola.
Meconopsis horridula.
" sinuata
" bella
Thistle big white.
Iris blue.
19490 Lily x x x
19494 Polygonum fine big flowers. behind rhodo scrub in clearing.
19484 Geranium big flowered same clearing.
19498 Notholirion macrophyllum.
Yellow orchid on rock 100x before camp R side.

Seed from Kyikyi La. Rhododendron ciliatum. Notholirion macrophyllum, Thalictrum chelidonii. 19544.
Yuto La. Big clematis Gaultheria, Streptopus, Smilacina oleracea,
Tongsa-Tashiling. Codonopsis purpurea. Lily. alt. Briggsia White rose

19558. 19559. 19561.

SUMMARY:
Notes report court intrigue involving the Maharani Padmadechen, causing anxiety for the Dzongpen; Yusun Kazi confides concerns and asks the author to speak to Tongsa. The page also records routes and plant collections made on 20–22 November between Yonpu La, Khoma nagi, and Chungkar.

CONTENT:
two months ago. He got hold of the Maharani (Padmadechen)
somehow and told her all sorts of lies about the Dzongpen and others.
She seems to have sent secretly to Trashigang and told all the
Dzongpen's servants to come to Bumthang - without a word to
the Dzongpen himself. I am told the Maharaja does not
believe all the stories, but the Dzongpen is obviously frightened
that he may be persuaded to. Yusun Kazi told me all this
secretly and asked me to speak to Tongsa about it. Yusun too is
not happy about his post: although promoted to (Betung?)
he finds there is a lot of intrigue there, again caused by the
Maharani, and he feels his position insecure. However he says
he does not mind that, but is worried about the Dzongpen.

20th Nov. Yonpu La 7000? 10 miles. Fine, hot below, but cold
on the pass, which was in the clouds. Collected bulbs of Lil.
Anemone gigantea. from Chuka, Rong Chu: seeds of P. eburnea 2899, P. bellidifolia 2901.
P. lillidale 2902. Meconopsis bella 2905

21st Nov. Khoma nagi. 4000? 13 miles. Fine but not too hot.
Coelogyne porrecta 2892. Eria coronaria 2893. Wightia speciosissima 2894.
Got two orchids and a fine tree in bloom; also bulbs of Lil.
Wallichii on the way down from the pass. Saw no birds, but
a few butterflies.

22nd November. Chungkar 6500? 10m. Fine. Every day is much the

SUMMARY:
Field notes list alpine plants with habitats and elevations at Karutra, Kashongha, Drogpa, and Natrampa. Entries dated in early October 1936 include species such as Dracocephalum, Rheum nobile, Fritillary, Primula spp., Meconopsis, Isopyrum, and Iris.

CONTENT:
Blue Dracocephalum Karutra. 12000' On cliff faces. Dry zone. 8/10.
Small Androsace. " 13000' Open hillside. edge of " " " .
Rheum nobile. Kashongha. 15000' 9/10.
Fritillary. probably 1611. 14-15000' Kashongha. Among dwarf rhododendron. 9/10.
Prim sikkimensis (white?) Kashongha. Open scree. 14500. 9/10.
" " v. fine, yellow " Drogpa. " "
Mec. bella. 14000' Kashongha.
Small blue Mec. Kashongha. Very stony hillside. Scapes naked from base.
Isopyrum. " " " 10 10-36.
Prim Cawdoriana not fully ripe. Kashongha. 11. 10. 36.
Prim. tenuiloba. Kashongha. Open hillside. stony ground. 14.10. 15000'
" (2162) " " " -
Iris. Natrampa.
Blue Dracocephalum. Karutra. 8/10.

SUMMARY:
List of Kodachrome and Dufaycolor photographs documenting Primula, Meconopsis, Anemone, Streptopus, Notholirion, and a thistle, with specimen numbers, habitats, and dated entries in June–July. Notes include issues with film ("25 feet stuck. wasted.") and that 12 films were sent in No. 20.

CONTENT: B. W. 11.

1. P. soldanelloides. 13/7
2. P. waddellii. 16/7
3. Meconopsis bella 19437 on cliff with Primula umbratilis 17/6
4. Meconopsis paniculata. "
5. Large thistle. 19467. 20/7
6. P. pusilla. 19469 camp 21/7
8. Anemone rupicola. 21/7
9. Meconopsis paniculata habitat "
10. ~ ~ ~ "
11. Streptopus simplex. 22/7
12. Notholirion macrophyllum 19498 22/7

Kodachrome 22
Primula soldanelloides. 19420 13/7.
Meconopsis horridula. 16/7.
Meconopsis bella 19437 on cliff with Primula umbratilis 17/6
Meconopsis paniculata "
P. hopeana stream. 20/7
P. " red tube. close. "

Kodachrome 23
25 feet stuck. wasted.
P. pusilla. 19469 20/7
Anemone rupicola. 21/7
Meconopsis paniculata habitat. 21/7.

Dufaycolor 19

1. P. macrophylla v. macrocarpa 19423 13/7
2. " " " "
3. P. soldanelloides. 19420 "
4. " " "
5. / / /
6. / / /

Dufaycolor 20 X

1. P. waddellii. 16/7
2. Meconopsis horridula 19436 16/7.
3. Meconopsis bella 19437 on cliff with Primula umbratilis 17/6
4. " " "
5. Meconopsis paniculata. "

Dufaycolor 20 X

1. P. hopeana with red tube 19464 20/7
2. Thistle. 19467 "
3. P. pusilla clump. camp 19469 22/7
4. Meconopsis paniculata habitat. 21/7
6. 12 films sent in No 20.

CONTENT:
now a good many yaks at the Thiba Tso, as also on the way up to Changsethang. Below the cliffs on the N side, there were just masses of flowers: Primulas hopeana, pusilla, roylei, atrodentata, sapphirina, 3383 & glabra: Meconopsis bella, horridula & paniculata; geraniums, saxifrages, salvias, & many more. It was all very pretty, & the big cushions of Androsaces make it look nicer than ever.

13th July. Chore. 6 miles. BP. 18.67 Temp. 57° Time 2.0pm. Ht. 15000 odd.
One of the nicest days I have ever had. Except for one shower, it was fine till 3.0pm when we came in. I have come on with only 8 loads, Tenduk & Son open: the remainder of the kit has gone down direct to Ram thang. The path leads up West of Thiba Tso, then keeps SE of the ridge which separates the Tang Chu & Rinchen Chu, at about 15500 - 16000 ft. We first saw a lot of 3383, it certainly is a beauty. When I stopped to admire that, I was standing on a primula very like P. menziesiana, but which seems different (No 3438.) There also was Gent. phyllocalyx in plenty. I have never seen so many alpines out together as on this march. In places the hillsides & cliffs were just covered with them, & the variety was great. At about 2 miles we came to a little grassy hollow & here we found the most extraordinary collection of coloured primulas. There must have

SUMMARY:
The diary describes travel over the Namda La from Kyikyi Tsum, descending past a lake to yakherds' huts in mist and rain, with notable size and color differences in Meconopsis horridula across the pass. A messenger from Ludlow (at Chachhunang) prompts letters to Ludlow and to the Sonpon’s household, as the Sonpon has gone to Tibet. On 17 July, in thick mist and rain en route to Jiutang, abundant Meconopsis bella and Primula umbratilis are observed on steep cliff faces.

CONTENT:
The place is called Kyikyi Tsum
reached that day. Then again up a longish climb to the Namda La, which will be about 16000'. Then down again past a lake to this place, which is just a couple of yakherds' huts on the open hillside. Altitude about 14500 I should think, but I can't see anything anywhere for mist. On the Namda La met a man who said something about a sahib, but I thought he had been ahead to arrange for us. It turns out he is from Ludlow, who is at Chachhunang, a full day's journey from here. He was sending to the Sonpon for eggs, a hen, and two taphukas. The letter was in Hindi which the Sonpon can't read, and he has in any case gone to Tibet, we are told now. So we're sending on a Tibetan letter to his servants. And I will send a letter to Ludlow tomorrow to tell him we are going to Jiutang, and ask him to meet me there. The divide between the Bumthang Chu and Mangde Chu is the Namda La. Whether we will find any more flowers here or not I don't know, but one thing was immediately noticeable — Meconopsis horridula this side of the pass is twice the size of those on the other side, and the colour is a fine blue, instead of the miserable dirty colour on the other side. It is curious and most marked. Real heavy rain did not start until we were in camp, I'm glad to say. A poor day for flowers — saw nothing new again.

17th July. JIUTANG. 12000'. Probably not more than 5 miles. Thick mist and rain most of the day. We were unable to see anything at all of the country this morning, and had no idea even which direction we were going in. After a short bit over grassy open hillside, we suddenly dropped steeply between cliffs, where at once we found lots of Meconopsis bella. It was particularly pretty, as the cliffs were covered with Primula umbratilis, and the two were all mixed up together. It would be interesting to know why Meconopsis bella is

SUMMARY:
The diarist describes severe wind and snow near a pass, continued mixed weather, and seed collecting of Primula, Gentiana stictantha, Meconopsis bella, and Diplarche multiflora. Coolies were to return to Karutra, about 50 Crossoptilon were seen, and Tsongpen suffered from snow blindness.

CONTENT:
on the South side, while on the N. it was bright sun, though the
snow was blown a good distance beyond the pass, by a very strong
wind. The primula rotundifolia seeds are not yet ripe, we could
find no P. tenuiloba. But I got some good seed of P. nivalis sp., and
several other things of less importance. The marks we left for
Gent. stictantha were covered with snow, but I found a few
ripe seeds. Many have been eaten by insects. Coolies returned
to Karutra, are to come on the sixth day. On the way
up above Karutra, I came across about 50 Crossoptilon,
but did not shoot any.

Near Kashong La
10th October. Halt. Yesterday afternoon and evening were beastly.
A howling gale was blowing, and it snowed steadily all evening
and a good deal of the night. The wind dropped about 8:00 pm.
Tsongpen had bad snow blindness, and has had it all today
too. Today was lovely after about 8:00 am till 1:00 pm.
Then the rain came on and later on snow, but the wind
has not been nearly so strong, and only in gusts. I found
a few more seeds of G. stictantha, some Mec. bella and
a little yellow primula, besides a heath (Diplarche multiflora) which we
collected above Mignitum. This heath, 1713, turns a lovely