Showing 11 results

SUMMARY:
The diarist reads Cooper's article and concludes specimen 1166 is a Primula petiolaris, collects three young buds to send via air mail from Trashigong, and notes widespread smoke from jhumming across Bhutan. On 13 March they travel from Sanden to the Nyakhsung La, encountering snow, taking bearings, and searching for seeds, with primulas flowering at around 14,000 ft.

CONTENT:
did not see them. Reading Cooper's article in the New Flora and Silva, it appears that 1166 is a petiolaris primula. I have taken three young buds, if they reach Trashigong alright, I will send them off by air mail. The wind this evening has died down completely, and the smoke from 'jhumming' has come up over the hills everywhere, so that one can only see a couple of miles. This morning I noticed the pall of smoke all over Bhutan, it must have risen to a height of over 16,000 ft, out of which the bigger snow peaks were dimly seen.

13th March. Sanden. 10 miles. 9,800'. I left at 6:00 am and took two hours to reach the Nyakhsung La. There was a lot of snow on the path, which leads up a nala to the north east just beyond Mera, then turns more north and along a north face. The first two miles are fairly steep, the next two easy and more level. A round of bearings from the pass did not help to put Mera on the map much. On the pass around about, I spent two or three hours, looking for seeds of flowers. The primula is interesting. It was in flower at 14,000 ft., and it continued

[Marginal notes: Nyakhsung La; Primula denticulata 1176; Primula capitata 1177; Primula gracilipes 1178]

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:
Botanical notes describe conifers, prunus, primulas, and rhododendrons, followed by short march entries between Rungzyung toro, Trashigong, and GHUNKARA. Lumsden treated many patients; the party met the Dzongpon at Trashigong, packed specimens and mail, and calculated food supplies before crossing the river.

CONTENT:
27

almost entirely conifer - either Pinus nepalense or P. longifolia. A most beautiful prunus tree was seen in several places. It reaches a height of about 60 ft. and its flowers are really beautiful. (Rhododendron arboreum 1185). I took another primula from the waterfall. There seem to be two there, both pink. One has flowers which are deeply cut, and the one I took today has almost entire petals.

Prunus cerasoides var. magnifica 1192
Primula gracilipes 1188
" filipes 1189
Rhododendron irroratum 1193

17th March. Rungzyung toro. A short and uninteresting march, but not very hot. Thunder is coming up and I fear we will soon have a bad storm. Lumsden has more and more patients each day and must have seen 25 today.

Elaeagnus umbellata 1196
Caesalpinia sepiaria 1197
Hypericum griffithii 1198

18th March Trashigong. An uninteresting march, with nothing much to be seen. The bauhinias on the river banks are fine. The Dzongpon met us, and we spent most of the day in packing up birds, flowers and getting off a big mail in two bags. We had awful calculations about the amount of butter, atta and rice to take with us, and now have I think 13 bags of rice and 3 of atta.

19th March GHUNKARA. Cross the river up up the R bank,

SUMMARY:
Notes on Cine film No. 1 with views of Kangchenjunga from Lagyap, scenes near Galingka and Lingmothang, and plant observations at Lingmothang and Gautsa. Records currency exchanged at Phari with rates and totals.

CONTENT:
314

Kalimpong 14th October 1946
to

Cine film No. 1 Kangchenjunga from Lagyap.
Primula gracilipes
Views near Galingka & Lingmothang
Gentiana amoena at Lingmothang.
Fruit of Sorbus sp. at Gautsa.

Changed money at Phari @ 3.35 sangs per rupee
Rs 2000 = 6700 sangs.
and Rs 1000 = 3400 sangs at 3.4 Doke Ripon
Rs 800 = 2680 ? 3.35
12780

SUMMARY:
The party marches from Kupup to Yatung over the Jelep La in heavy snow, with difficult mule transport and botanical notes on Primula gracilipes. In Yatung they deal with a customs issue over cigarettes, receive mail from Gyantse, trace missing kit sent from Ha, meet a Subedar, and dine with local contacts.

CONTENT:
...a few common orchids. Tseringpen wants to take a press tomorrow, in case we come across anything in the primula line.

24th Feb. Kupup. 13 miles. Fine in the morning, but clouded over by 10 am. The rest of the day there was a heavy snowstorm, with rain and thunder in the valleys. We had intended to stop at Gnatong, but snow was heavy then, and we thought we might not reach the pass next day, so went on. I walked all the way, and was very tired indeed when we got in, as the climb is from 6500' to 13000', with some up and down thrown in. Went to bed early with a splitting headache. Near Lingti Primula gracilipes was just coming into flower, but the scapes hardly showed at all. Cleared up after dark.

25th Feb. Yatung 18 miles. Very fine morning, though the valleys were full of cloud. We were a bit late in getting off, and transport reached the Jelep La about 10.30 am. Snow not very much, but an icy path down this side made the going very hard for the mules. Muleteers wanted to stop in Rinchengang, but we persuaded them to come on here, where they reached about 4.30. Found more Primula gracilipes (3580) on the way down. As soon as we got in, two people came to see us, so we could not have our tea, then Norbhu's son and the head clerk also came. The head clerk was more concerned about two loads of cigarettes which were among our muleteers' things. As there is a strict order against importing them, there was some trouble. We had promised the Khampa mule owners to take these up as our own. All our people seem fit and David is quite happy.

26th Feb. Yatung. Halt. Fine all day. Got a good mail, sent back from Gyantse. Spent the day in writing letters, seeing the Subedar of the Det. 1/15th Punjab Regt., and dining with Norbhu's wife and Charles Marbleu. In between we tried to find out what had happened to our kit which was sent on by tonga, that from Ha. Eventually heard from Phari that the Ha kit was there, but they knew nothing of any other loads. Sub. Maryam Singh is a great talker and we know most of his life history before we left. Dinner with Norbhu's wife was rather a trial, though she, Charles and Charles' fiancée are all nice. We had English-style

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:
The diarist travels 12 miles to Mera via Choting la, noting barometric readings, temperatures, and fine weather after a cloudy start, with strong wind on arrival. Guba serves as cook, and a thrush sought by Ludlow is noted near Shungshon; marginal notes list Samri Chu, Choting la, and several plant specimens.

CONTENT:
17

an equally fine tail, again nearly as long as the cock, it had the beginnings of spurs. Guba acts as my cook up here while I am on my own. He produced good soup and excellent curry, so I have no complaints so far. It clouded over this afternoon, even so far as to rain a few drops about 5.0 pm. I do hope it remains fine while I am in Mera.

9th March. Mera 12 miles. B.P. of Choting la 192.2° Temp. 50°. B.P. of Mera 191.5° Temp 41°. This was a most interesting day. I left at 6.30 fearing rain, but after a cloudy start, it cleared and we had a most beautiful day. A few white clouds blowing across a beautifully blue sky, with little wind till we reached here at 3.30 pm, when there was a regular gale. I had a peaceful night, somewhat to my surprise, no fleas nor lice and everything very comfortable, Guba producing a perfectly good dinner. I am sure I saw one of the thrushes Ludlow is after at Shungshon, a grayish head, brown back and primaries, and distinctly rufous on the flanks: but I had no time to get a shot in. The path leads up pretty steeply all the way to the Choting

[Marginal Notes]
Samri Chu
Choting la
Gentiana bryoides 1169
Prim. White 1166 up.
" gracilipes 1167
Oxygraphis polypetala 1170

SUMMARY:
Notes describe a valley with magnolia and pine, a Jasminum dispermum at a bamboo bridge, and Primula gracilipes at a waterfall by the Chorten, thought to be where Kingdon Ward previously collected it. On 28th March at Pangchen, a few orchids and Mahonia sidneyi sp. nov. were found; ticks were troublesome, and the party decided the locality was poor but stayed due to illness.

CONTENT:
up where an old landslide has made a block in the
valley. At mile 9, the valley opens out and there is a
plain about 2 miles long and at most 500 acres. Got
a Jasminum dispermum at the first bamboo bridge 1238, and a few
other shrubs of not much interest. Primula gracilipes was still
just in flower at the waterfall beside the Chorten, but
nearly over. This must be the place that Kingdon Ward
took it from. I saw it at no other waterfalls today.
This place is lower than I had hoped. Most flowers are
probably above 10,000 or below 6,000 just now. Magnolia
campbellii trees make a white line along the hillsides,
they are abundant and beautiful, between about 7,500 - 8,500 or a little higher. There are
a fine lot of pines here. The East face is more or
less covered with them right down to camp.

28th March. Halt Pangchen. Nothing found today but a
Cymbidium hookerianum 1245, Mahonia sidneyi sp. nov. 1247,
Dendrobium and Primula gracilipes again, above Pangchen to the East.
Ticks are now becoming a curse; I found myself
covered with them several times this morning when in
bamboo forest among ferns. We have decided this place
is no good, will go on as soon as possible, but had to stay on account of illness.

SUMMARY:
Notes record Primula gracilipes as common above and below Lingti and east of Jelep La at about 11,000 ft. Ludlow S. remarks that the Amo Chu River would make a wonderful trout stream and envisions the Chumbi valley as a fine hill station with a road through Bhutan up the Amo Chu.

CONTENT:

3580. Primula gracilipes. Common above & below Lingti.

3580 Prim. gracilipes. Common on E of Jelep La at about 11000 ft.

Ludlow S.
What a wonderful trout stream the Amo Chu River would make. I can see trout of prodigious size lurking in its beautiful pools.

Ludlow S.
What a magnificent hill station the Chumbi valley would make with a road through Bhutan up the Amo Chu.

SUMMARY:
List of Primula specimens with numbers, determinations, and notes such as seed-only, sections, and cross-references. Localities recorded include several Himalayan passes and a lake.

CONTENT:
PRIMULA NUMBERS.

3580 ✓ Primula gracilipes. Jelep La. Cunninghamii Craib. 1 P
3583 o " tibetica 2
3585 o " Phasaensis. SEED only. Yamdrok Tso.
3592 ✓ " atrodentata
3602 o " Florindae. " " Kongbo Nga La. S

3603. o " atrodentata " " 3. D
3604. o " pumilio " " 4.
      3611 ✓ " Roylei. Lang La. 5. P
      3612 ✓ " atrodentata " d
      3616 o " macrophylla SEED only " N
      3633 o " glabra. Lo La. 6
      3636 ✓ " atrodentata? " 7 d
      3637 ✓ " vernicosa. " 8 P
      3640 o " sp. nov.? Clutterbuckii?? " 9
      3647 ✓ " Bryocarpum himalaicum -
      3648 ✓ " " Pet. Sect. yellow sp. nov. 10 P
      3649 ✓ " Cortusoides Sect. Pet. lacerata 11 P
      3650 o " Normaniana 12
      3671 ✓ " Boothii. gracilipes Nyng La 13 P
3605. ✓ " sp. Pet. Sect. aff. Griffithii. " 14 P
      3700 o " Normaniana. "
3606. ✓ " Cortusoides sect. " p
3607. ✓ " Boothii = 3671. gracilipes " p
      3745 ✓ " sp. Pet Sect. aff. Griffithii. Lo La p
      3746 ✓ " " " " fruit spec. " p
3608. ✓ " sp. Pet Sect. sp nov. yellow = 3648 " p
      3756 o " sp nov. = 3640. "