Showing 11 results

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:
Notes a ruined iron chain bridge below Tsetang and a night spent in a newly renewed but empty Dzong. The party travels to Lagyari/Lhagyari, halts for transport arranged by a helpful ruling nun, then crosses the Potrang La to Lasor, recording birds and early-season botanical observations.

CONTENT:
27 March Ludlow 22. "No European seems to have travelled this stage. Bailey avoided it - p. 313 F.K.W. u. 1924."

top joint & hurt my wrist. It might have been much worse. There are still the remains of an old iron chain suspension bridge.

Chain bridge 1 1/2 m below Tsetang - two huge piles of rocks & two chains still hanging down from one.

No one was in the Dzong which had just been renewed, so we spent the night in it, & were very comfortable. The Tsangpo here takes a very sharp 100° turn to the North. (70 13100' see Ludlow p. 22-23.)

27th March. Lagyari. 15 miles. Perfect weather & v. hot. Started at 7.0 am, in at 4.0 pm. Transport mostly bullock, & again many boxes badly damaged. Half way up we came across geese & shot three. Also saw a Sheldrake & some pintail, mallard & teal. Lagyari is a lovely place: Dzong & monastery on the edge of a cliff on the river bank, & beautiful wooded flats below, in which we are camped. They threaten to keep us here a day, but we still hope for the best. Ludlow has gone to the Dzong to call for both of us. There are no flowers out here yet, though Iris (ensata?) is 1" above ground & there is a very small gentian showing flowers here & there. P. tibetica not yet in flower. This place seems independent of Lhasa & is ruled, & ruled well by a nun.

28th March. Halted Lhagyari. Fine. As ponies could not be produced in time, we had to halt. However the nun gave orders for donkeys & bullocks to come today & take on as much kit as we could spare - about 28 loads. The remainder will be carried by mules & ponies tomorrow. We lunched today in the gompa, a beautifully clean place. The nun is a fine looking woman, related to many people of importance - of some importance herself. She was very friendly & helpful. From here to Tsona is only 4 days march, so this might be a good way home. There is little snow of course up here in winter.

29th March. Lasor (12,200' ap). 16 miles. Beautiful day. Left at 7.15 am, in at 4.0 pm. The ascent to the Potrang La (16500 ft) is steeper than we expected. Gradually the hills become more vegetated, & there are many dwarf junipers & a small Rhododendron near the top. But the East side shows a more marked contrast, & the rainfall on the E must be very considerably more than on the West. From the very top, it is apparent. Rhododendron covers the hillside (R. lepidotum). Among these we saw many old stalks of Primula - P. macrophylla(?) & P. sikkimensis. There are also gentians, these seen being much too early for flowers on the north side of the main range & at this altitude.

SUMMARY:
From Sumbatse, the diarist records seed collections and transport delays due to a troublesome headman, then stays overnight en route to Choram. Plans are outlined for a future trip to the Black Mountain in Bhutan and exploration of Pemako via Sadiya, and at Choram they meet Tsongpen, collect more Adonis seed, and note heavy showers and his reports from Tsari.

CONTENT:
From Sumbatse. Sept. 16th Seeds: Primula tibetica 2602, Adenophora liliifolia 2604, Adenophora gracilis 2605, Dracocephalum tanguticum 2607, Saussurea 2608.

Transport took ages to collect, as the headman there had given us a good deal of trouble; we decided to stay a night here, instead of doing Choram in one day. Collected on the way a good many seeds of Primula sikkimensis, and some of the white Adonis (Adonis brevistyla var. dutchuensis 1600), which we took at Choram in May. It is a queer seed and does not look ripe, but K.W. told us he got the seed, and he passed through just before 15th Sept. I have pretty well decided to try a 3-month trip next summer, May, June, July, to the Black Mountain in Bhutan if permission is given by the Maharaja. And for the year after, I am trying to find out all I can about the Pemako area from the South. It would save a huge round by Gyantse, and I'm pretty sure the Bhutanese in Pemako would take me anywhere if only I can get in from Sadiya.

17th Sept. Choram. Fine most of the day, with some very heavy showers. Took a lot of Adonis seed (Adonis brevistyla var. dutchuensis 1600) on the way up here. Tsongpen was here and rather depressed. When he met me he said he had not done well in Tsari, but actually he has done as well as possible; although he has not many 'wanted' things, he has seeds of some quite interesting stuff. He had worse rain than when I went round the Kingkor. His chief excitement was...

SUMMARY:
Notes describe a distinctive blue flower and, at Sanga Chöling, a lovely day interrupted by a hailstorm while collecting seeds of several species. The party met Pemako people who encouraged a southern approach, camped in the same garden where an incarnation welcomed them with tea and peaches, and heard mail was in Tsona with plans to send a man. The following day was a halt for letter writing and drying seeds, with Gentiana specimens noted for specific passes.

CONTENT:
not seen before. The blue is not intense, but clear, & the plicae show up a more lilac blue, quite distinct from the lobes. It opens well out to a [T-shape] shape, & though stumpy, is very pretty. It grows more or less singly, but has up to 4 flowers on a scape.

21st Sept. Sanga Chöling. 10 m. 10900'. A lovely day, with a very bad hailstorm in between sun & clear sky. We all dawdled down here,
Gen. veitchiorum 2596 G. waltonii 2597 Cyananthus incanus 2593
only getting in at 4.0pm. spending the time collecting seed. A few expected things were not ripe, like Prim. pulchelloides, & the big androsace. But we got some of P. szechuanica, P. tibetica, the pretty, dry zone iris, & two salvias. Met the same Pemako people who were here with us last, & they again affirmed how ready they would be if we were to go to Pemako, from the South or North. They favored the South & said it was much easier that way, - they could come down much near the plains. They seem a very nice lot. Camped in the same garden, & were met by this incarnation with tea & peaches. No sign of a mail, but we hear it is in Tsona & intend sending a man off in a couple of days.
Sanga Chöling

22nd September Halt. A lovely day, no rain. Wrote letters & dried seeds etc.
Gentiana urnula for Traka La 2704, G. algida for Sokpo La 2705 2707
" waltonii for Shirap

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. "

SUMMARY:
Field notes list several Primula species with localities, habitat and elevation details, flowering or seed status, and comparisons to collections made in 1936. There is uncertainty about the exact P. ioessa type locality near Lo Migyitun due to mist and deep snow, and sites such as KHERI GOMPA at Chungkar are referenced.

CONTENT:
78a

6621. Primula winteri. Yuda. Mostly on moss covered boulders in Rhododendron forest. The winter bud in great prominence, some even opening already up at 13 or 13,500 ft.

6622. Primula sikkimensis. Yuda. I did not see the flowers of this primula at all.

6623. Primula Sandemaniana. Migyitun. From the exact spot as the type specimen. I can find it nowhere else. A little seed found. A very small winter bud, with farina, is just noticeable.

6624. Primula sikkimensis Sect. probably P. ioessa type. Lo Migyitun. Thick mist rain, with 8" of snow prevented us from being certain of the spot where No 2514, the type of P. ioessa, was taken. But I have little doubt myself that this is the true ioessa. It could only be P. Hopeana otherwise, and I do not think this is so. This comes from certainly within a very short distance of 2514, if not from the very spot.

6625. Primula tibetica. Chayul Dzong. Some seed taken. Still in flower. Up to 3½".

6626. Primula strumosa. Tremo. Same as 1300, taken in 1936.

6627. Primula Boothii (gracilipes). Pangchen. Taken from the same place in 1936, where flowers were almost over by the end of March. This, I suppose, is the more common low altitude form.

6628. Primula filipes. Chungkar. From same place as in 1936, at KHERI GOMPA, Chungkar. Not in flower this year, though it was at this time in 1936.

SUMMARY:
List of Primula entries noting material types (roots or seed) and reference numbers. Includes species such as P. winteri, sikkimensis, sandemaniana, ioessa, tibetica, strumosa (=1300), boothii, and filipes, with a note that no herbarium specimen is present for entry 6630.

CONTENT:

6621. Primula winteri. Roots. 73. 235.
6622. Primula sikkimensis? Seed.
6623. Primula sandemaniana. Seed. 74. No Herbarium Specimen??
6624. Primula ioessa? Seed.
6625. Primula tibetica. Seed.
6626. Primula strumosa = 1300. Roots. 240.
6627. Primula boothii.
6628. Primula filipes. 75.

SUMMARY:
A list of Primula taxa (and Omphalogramma minus) with associated numbers and brief annotations such as colors and sectional notes. Entries include Primula chionantha, P. pulchelloides, P. maximowiczii, and others.

CONTENT:
5226 Primula falcifolia 64 130
5138 A. Primula maximowiczii 65
4954 A Primula morsheadiana
5214 Primula alpicola violacea
5285 Primula vernicosa
5214 A Primula alpicola violacea 135
5284 A Primula chionantha (purple) 66
5284 Primula chionantha (yellow) 67
5171 Primula szechuanica
5218 Primula Minutissimae Sect. (No.)
4943 Primula pudibunda 140
5803 Primula glabra
5026 Primula littledalei
5034 Primula micropetala Taylor
4604 A Primula baileyana
5132 Primula Minutissima Sect. 145
4767 Primula ningguida?
5120 Primula Muscarioides Sect.
5067 Primula tibetica
5077 Primula roylei
5000 A Primula pulchelloides 68 150
5000 Primula pulchelloides
4923 Omphalogramma minus
5020 Primula cawdoriana 69
5019 Primula bellidifolia
5027 Primula sinopurpurea 155

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:
The party proceeds via Chagal, while the Dzongpen departs to Drokpa La with the Trim jigmpu and a coolie, leaving Tenduk, Ahmad Sheikh, and the diarist with 14 coolies. At Chagal Dzong they record weather and notable plants, and exchange calls with the Dzongpen who arranges matters for the next day.

CONTENT:
134

the south side. 2422. Otherwise the only flower of interest was a Delphinium 2424, with white sepals & black petals. Crops are nearly ripe here, & already some are being cut & threshed. When we were here last, they were only about 2-3 inches up. Dzongpen has gone off to the Drokpa La today with the Trim jigmpu & a coolie, leaving Tenduk, Ahmad Sheikh & I with 14 coolies to go on via Chagal. Nothing of any interest here, no birds worth recording.

24th July. Chagal Dzong. 6 m. Fine all day, with clouds & sun. Rain last night. A dull march in, with nothing much to see. Plenty of Ceratostigma on the hillside, & a lot at camp on the N side of the river. The little Primula tibetica collected here on our way to Lung first time, is still in bloom, & has a scape about 2" long. Also a very bright yellow Pedicularis, all over the boggy meadow. Dzongpen very kind. I see him tomorrow. Tenduk visited him this afternoon.

25th July. Halt. Chagal. Fine most of the day, but no sun. Exchanged calls with the Dzongpen, who was very pleasant, & has made all arrangements for tomorrow. Nothing very

[Marginalia:]
Delphinium 2424
Ceratostigma minus
Pedicularis fletcheri 2427
Pedicularis longiflora v. tubiformis 2429
rec. Sherriff on Dricheng La. 2436
Cremanthodium plantagineum 2435