Showing 15 results

SUMMARY:
The diarist slowly ascends to Choking La around midday, noting magnolias and rhododendrons, but fewer flowers than expected. Tenduh finds Primula specimens (1166 and 1167), likely including P. boothii, with both forms later seen growing together near snow patches; compass bearings include one toward Mera.

CONTENT:
18

La reached at about m. 6. I did not get there till 12.0 noon, but went very slowly looking for flowers. There was not very much out. Many magnolia trees were in bloom though, and a number of the big pinkish white rhododendron [Rho. grande 1148?] 1148. Rhododendron arboreum gave out soon after it started. Rather to my surprise and disgust there were no more rhododendrons in flower. About 1000 ft below the pass Tenduh came across [Primula gracilipes 1167] the primula 1167, which is likely P. boothii again, though higher I think than it has been recorded so far. Then we reached the snow, going up a north face, and at the first big patch which was half melted in rhododendron [Primula white 1166] and Abies forest, came across 1166, which I at first mistook for the same primula, only blue. But it is obviously different, with what looks like the opened sheath on the outside low down. Both are farinose, but 1167 has much more on the flower underneath. I make the Choking La 11116 ft. Back bearing to approximately where we started seemed to be 302° Mag, and to Mera 100° Mag. On the south side of [Primula white of gracilipes] the pass, we found masses of 1167 with a good deal of 1166 with it. Both were growing together. Lower down we only

SUMMARY:
The diarist collects several flowering trees, rhododendrons, and a primula (including Nos. 2989, 2987, and 2984 P. bracteosa). Bearings are taken near the Black Mt. while marching along a steep ridge with no water, and camp is pitched on a slope in thick bamboo jungle where rainfall is estimated at 200 inches.

CONTENT:
flowered trees, up here most of them are pink or even red. I collected one under No 2989. Then a red small rhodo, finally a very fine bright slightly purplish pink one, which shows up very well indeed. No. 2987

A few other flowers, oxalis etc., some primula, which unfortunately has lost all its flowers. It is a petiolarid, but not Boothii or Whitei (No. 2984 P. bracteosa).

A bearing from one of the peaks of the Black Mt. from very close to camp gave 335° Mag. & we have, I think, been marching roughly at 300° M. up the ridge. Path is fairly level for a short way, then very steep ascent, again becoming more level along a sharp ridge. Finally the last mile is up a very steep ascent. No water all day, none in camp, which is pitched on a slope among thick bamboo jungle. I'm glad I am not a coolie these marches. It's not much fun going as I do with only a 10-15 lb rucksack, but to carry 65 lbs or more with no water at the end of the day isn't much fun. Rainfall here must be at the least 200 inches, but we have

SUMMARY:
Notes compare Primula gracilipes var. (No. 3206) with P. Boothii and P. whitei across altitudes and relate it to a prior specimen from Nyuksam La in March 1936. Also assesses No. 3228 as P. sikkimensis (alpine form) or P. Hopeana, noting pale yellow flowers with reddish suffusion, possible hybridization, absence of P. Waltoni nearby, and a pink form seen on the Tulung La in 1934.

CONTENT:
flower approximates much closer to P. sikkimensis than our collection in Tsari.

No. 3206. Primula gracilipes var. The normal P. Boothii grows at 7000-9000 ft. It is now over seed, and has grown to a huge size. Above that there is usually a space, then P. whitei takes its place. P. whitei, except at 14000' is now just coming into ripe seed. At 14000 it is still just in flower. No 3206 starts at about 12000 - goes on to 14000 ft. It is still in flower at 13-14000. No seed of this high variety is nearly ripe yet. I doubt if it will grow as big a scape as the low variety, or as big leaves, though this looks more possible. (See if it grows the leaves in the umbel as does P. Boothii). No 3206 must be the same as my No 1178 from the Nyuksam La in March 1936.

No. 3228. P. sikkimensis (alpine form) or P. Hopeana? This is pale yellow in colour, appears otherwise the same as 3227 P Hopeana. The corolla is suffused with a reddish tinge. Perhaps this is due to hybridization. No P. Waltoni known to be near. I got a very definite pink form on the Tulung La in 1934.

SUMMARY:
After heavy rain and hail, the writer explored near camp, noting Primula hopeana, saxifrages, and a Primula boothii believed to match last year’s variety from the Nyuhsangha in East Bhutan, with plans to collect it on the descent. On 7th June, a halt day brought a perfect morning followed by afternoon storms, and several Primula species were recorded, including elongata, hopeana, kingii, sapphirina, and tsariensis, along with the new variety of P. boothii.

CONTENT:
we have not seen before. Then up here, in a short time after the very heavy rain and hail was over, I went out and saw a number of good things, including Primula hopeana, some good saxifrages and other flowers. I think this place will do us well, and hope we will have good weather. The cliff to the NW looks full of possibilities. We came up a good 4000 ft today. The last coolies were in at 6.0 pm. It is now 7.15, and I have never been so late with dinner before. An interesting plant seen nearly up here is a Primula boothii. It cannot be the ordinary boothii at this height, and must be my new variety of last year, which I think was No. 1178, from the Nyuhsangha in East Bhutan. All flower is of course over, but I will collect it on the way down.

7th June. Halt. After a perfect night, it was again a perfect morning, and remained so longer than our morning has so far. Till 1.0 pm it was lovely. By 2.0 pm there was a thunderstorm, heavy hail, sleet and rain. By 4.0 pm it was over and the sun out again, and again the night is perfect. We had another good day. First of all there were Primula elongata and Primula hopeana common. Also the new variety of P. boothii, No. 3206. Then away at the top of the hills, over 15000' were P. kingii 3203 and P. sapphirina 3204. A more interesting primula was P. tsariensis No. 3205, which will cause the Professor some thought I'm sure. It is such a beauty too. Two other

SUMMARY:
Lists live plants to be sent by KLM freight to London and the R.B.G. Edinburgh, noting a large quantity of roots, bulbs, and tubers collected. Describes severe weather at Chumbumbu La and successful but difficult seed collecting trips from Langong to the Chiniung La, with plans to march to Migyitun.

CONTENT:
75 Live Plants Collected
Chumbumbu La Oct 17 P. chionantha 6609 P. elizabethae 6610
mec. violacea 6611.

...the live plants wanted, which are now: 1 small plant Pedicularis, 1 small Primula Aliciae, 1 Elizabethae (Lola) 2 Tsariensis (Lola) 1 Rowlei (Lola) & laeta (Lola) 1 ? Clutterbuckii (Lola) 1 Boothii (Lola) 1 yellow Pet. Sect. (Lola) 1 big plant Tsariensis (Lola) 1 yellow Pet sect (Tsari Sama) 1 yellow Pet sect (Chumbumbu La) 1 Elizabethae (Chumbumbu La). All these are at the moment timed to arrive in London on the 12th Dec, & in the R.B.G. Edinburgh on early morning of 13th! Ludlow & Taylor also have a good bundle of roots too, & altogether we have far more roots, bulbs & tubers than ever brought back before. So I hope we get them successfully home this time. I intend to send all by KLM freight, & shudder at the thought of how much they will cost.

17th October. Langong. Rain all night & day. Very cold indeed on the Chumbumbu La, in fact everywhere. Today was a repetition of yesterday, really beastly weather, a strong wind driving rain & sleet. We got a few seed of P. Elizabethae 6610, roots of it & of the Pet. Primula & also seeds of the Primula aff. Clutterbuckii, which I did not expect. Also a few of Omphalogramma brachysiphon 3952. The others I have taken as these are probably nearly all O. minus, with perhaps a small mixture of O. brachysiphon. So cold & beastly up the last camp, that as we were back by 12.30, we packed up at once & came on here, arriving at 4.0pm. No sign of rain stopping, in fact the locals say this is a very wet month, rain below & snow on the hills. We thus save a day, & tomorrow I must go up to the Chiniung La to finish off the Langong collecting.

18th October. Halt. Heavy rain all night & all today. Tsongpen & I went up to the Chiniung La, making an early start. Snow was everywhere above about 13500 & nearly a foot deep on the Pass. However we did better than I expected, & got some of all the seeds we were for except the little dwarf Lonicera, which had dropped its seed & was hardly to be seen. P. macrocarpa had very few seed, nearly every capsule was blind. And so now I have finished all seed collecting from flowers seen this year. The rest of our march is either over new ground, or over the old 1936 ground. But there can be little but Rhododendrons with any seed left. All seems fixed for our march to Migyitun on the 20th, rather to my surprise. At present I cannot make out the route, but

SUMMARY:
Notes at Lo La include plant collections and a notable new Primula, with complaints about a soaked camp; David remarks on heavy rain. The following day details a march from Nyugda La to Karchung La through dense forest with rhododendrons and primulas, a hazardous descent on notched logs, late and unhappy coolies, a hut taken by Molo people, and unsuccessful attempts to obtain monal and tragopan despite sightings.

CONTENT:
Lo La. April 25. R. hookeri 3652 & 3655, ciliatum 3654, Phaeodopum 3656, megeratum 3657, Stachyurus himalaicus 3661. Daphne bholua 3658.

Chenogone wretched. The best find was a new petiolarid primula, No. 3648. But P. Normaniana is, when seen at this time, a most beautiful thing. Both are however easily beaten by P. cortusoides Sech, No. 3649 (P. laciniata), which is really a most beautiful one; other flowers, though like P. Normaniana, are much bigger.

Camping ground awful, everything soaking wet too. David is having his eyes opened. Today (27th) he was saying "what an awful place for rain". I agreed, but had to tell him that the rain would not start till after another month or a half.

Nyugda La to Karchung La
26th April. Camp near Karchung La. 8 miles. Fine morning, clouded by 10 am. Rain at 2.0 pm & most of the evening. After crossing the Chudi Chu, the ascent is steep. The hills are covered with dense forest the whole way. Tsuga (Brunoniana?) is a common tree here, & grows to a great size. Rhododendrons abound, but are yet not in full bloom mostly. Two primulas found, P. Boothii, No. 3671 (P. gracilipes), a really magnificent one, 3673 (Primula porecta?). The latter is a grand sight when growing in close clumps as we saw it about 1000 ft below the Nyugda. Over the La the descent is at first easy, then worse than ever, very steep indeed, & down notched logs the whole way. A good deal of repairing to the road had been done to these, but even so they were awful, the path is most tiring. The coolies however are very sad, many were not in camp till after 5.0 pm. We went on further than the coolies expected & they did not like having to come on. They are a very independent lot, more than once muttering of dropping the loads & refusing to go further, as they did yesterday. A Maddenii rhododendron, R. lindleyi 3667 (R. Nuttallii?) was the finest we saw. It really is a most magnificent sight when in full bloom, & like many others of the section, it has a wonderful scent. Ludlow saw some tragopan but failed to get one. Ramzana shot one yesterday, but it was never found. We have had very bad luck with monal & tragopan, having seen quite a number now, but not having got one of either yet. We had a late evening & a perfectly awful camp. My tent was in a bog, Ludlow's on a most uneven bit of ground, with just room for his bed to be put up more or less evenly. A hut had been built here on the only even good bit of ground, but this was pinched by some Molo people, & our own servants used the half we kept clean for them. A tiring day. We could have been in by 2.0 pm, & so saved the coolies, but they were almost pushed up the last mile of 1000 ft ascent, & came in very late.

Nyugda. Ludlow 44. "We are unlucky with monal & tragopan; the net result of 2 years pursuit of them so far is one monal & one tragopan."

SUMMARY:
At Nyingsang La the party gathered several rhododendrons between the north and south passes, noted Primula boothii in bud, and faced difficulties with a pony while traveling from Tsona via Tawang. Sanders felt cold compared to October 1934, and Pimbo ensured rapid travel; on the 14th November halt they dried rhododendron seed and briefly collected a small epiphytic rhododendron.

CONTENT:
Nyingsang La. 2850, 2849. Rh. camelliiflorum 2845, fulgens 2846, Thomsonii 2847, Rh. 2848, campanulatum 2851 (203)

Nyingsang La. 2850g.
La. we got another 3 or 4 rhododendrons & several more between the N pass & the S one, none epiphytic shrubs from this side. No flowers seen. I started to ride, but gave up after one hour as the pony could not carry me & barely go on itself. Sanders feels pretty cold, but not nearly so cold as in Oct. 1934. On the way up the north side, we saw a lot of Prim. Boothii, but just small buds very densely covered with thick yellowish farina. Pimbo has done well to get us here in 5 days from Tsona, and with no later arrival than 4.30 at Tawang & here. These are both long marches, with a lot of climbing in them.

14th November. Halt. A beautiful morning, clouds coming up by midday, mist low in the evening. Spent the day drying yesterday's rhododendron seed, and only out a short time, getting one small epiphytic rhod (2853) [R. camelliiflorum 2853, 2852], the flower of which we collected in March, & a

SUMMARY:
Entries describe travel from Phobsikha toward Lao La with mostly fine weather, strong valley winds, and plant collecting, including Primula boothii in seed and other alpine flora. Plans are made to head toward wet Ridang, and route notes describe the path toward Gangte Gompa across a swampy valley with measurements taken at Lao La.

CONTENT:
31st May. Phobsikha ( ) 8½ miles.

It was fine nearly all yesterday; even in the evening there were only a few short showers. Nearly fine today. We came across a lot of Primula Boothii(?) 3162 on the way, in seed, so collected & I have packed in a bottle with CO2. Otherwise nothing seen.

1st June. Halt. Fine. This is a very windy valley, all day from 7.0 am onwards, wind blows very strongly up the valley. The hills are still very dry here. Pinbo & I went up to the W of camp, but saw little. There was a lot of Bryocarpum himalaicum whose flower is now practically over. Rhod Keysii & cinnabarinum & triflorum all very common. As Ridang is always a very wet place, we are going off in that direction tomorrow, but not as low as Ridang itself.

2nd June. LAO LA. 7 miles BP. 1928 Temp. 57° Time 2.0 pm Ht.

Rained hard yesterday evening. Fine all day today. Path leaves the junction of the two main streams of Phobsikha & lies at a bearing of 330° M. direct to Gangte Gompa, which can be seen on top of a round pine clad hill at the head of the valley. The middle of the broad open valley is nearly all swamp & the path bad. At m 2½ a valley enters from the north, & at its junction, is a village called

SUMMARY:
Page lists collecting notes for Primula (including erythrocarpa, filipes, boothii, and denticulata forms), with localities and dates in February–April. Routes and sites include passes and rivers, with an elevation note of 12000' and a remark on commonness at Paka gao.

CONTENT:
1202 Primula erythrocarpa? Sanden to Takhtoo 9.3 - 14.3. Changpu 21.3. Gyipu 22.3.
Sakti 25.3. Pangchen 31.3. Trimo.

(Whitei)
1166 Blue Primula. Mera 9.3. Nyaksung La 13.3. Sanden 13.3. Gyipu 22.3. Lepo 7.4. (1291)
Lung. 1388. 12000' 29.4. Kyimpu. Choram - Migyitun. (Paka gao - 12500' common). Kingkor.

(Boothii)

1167. Pink Primula. Mera 9.3. Sanden 13.3. Nyam Jang Chu to Lepo.

1126 Primula filipes. Chungkar 26.2. Yonpu La 1.3. Takhtoo 15.3.

1197: P. Boothii Yonpu La 1.3. Choling La 3.3. Takhtoo 15.3. Pangchen 31.3. Le.
Lepo. 8.4. (1292)

1278 Primula (Denticulata) white eye. Le - Lepo.

SUMMARY:
Notes record Primula specimens at Kucha La, including forms of P. dryadifolia and an unidentified capitata-like plant with densely hairy, non-farinose leaves. The page lists distribution ranges for several Primula and Omphalogramma taxa across passes from Tum La and Chubumbu La through Kucha La, Lusha La, Tamnyen La, and into Bhutan and China.

CONTENT:
55a Kucha La

5931. = 5865. Primula Dryadifolia Sect. (Tsongpen) Kucha La. Very common here.
5932. " " Jonarduni (Dryadifolia). " " " " , grows close to 5931.
5933. " " macrocarpa (macrophylla true form). Kucha La. White round the eye not prominent as in 3895.
5934. " " aff capitata.? (Concholoba) Kucha La. I don't recognize this. The leaves have no farina, rare, densely
      covered with long hairs. Unfortunately, only these three specimens were seen.

PRIMULAS. Primula Elizabethae. Extent from TUM LA to CHUBUMBU LA. Its place in the East seems to be taken by
" 5872 Calliantha " " TUM LA to KUCHA LA + Lusha La + Tamnyen La.
" Valentiniana " " China to CHUBUMBU LA.
" odontica " " Tsari Sama (not seen on Chining La or Chubumbu La) to TAKAR LA.
" tsariensis " " LO LA to Tsari Chikchar and then in Bhutan.
" Dryadifolia sect. 5865 (Tsongpen) " " TSANANG LA to KUCHA LA + LO LA
" Chamaethauma " " LUSHA LA to PA LA
Omphalogramma minus " " CHUBUMBU LA to TUM LA. + TAMNYEN LA.
" brachysiphon " " " " " " " " 186-2 57 2.6pm 140.7 = 148.5
Primula Boothii " " HA, Bhutan to NYUG LA PACHAKSHIRI.
" Whitei " " Central Bhutan to DOSHONG LA. (replaced by P. sonchifolia?)