Showing 16 results

SUMMARY:
The diary records a halt with a flea outbreak at a disused hut, clearing weather that revealed steep surrounding hills, and exploration up the valley NE of Migitun. Several Primula species and a pretty heath were found on avalanche-swept slopes, while Buddhow discovered a scarce white Rhododendron maddenii (lindleyi) further down the valley.

CONTENT:
a disused hut where some yaks were grazing. Within half a minute or less, Tenduk's legs were covered with fleas - so were my stockings.

25th May. Halt. Stayed more or less in camp till the evening. It cleared up after the last few days of rain, - let us see the country, which is very grand looking, with precipitous sided hills almost all round. Only down here in the valley is it at all open.

26th May Halt. I went up the valley NE of Migitun, - found Prim. 1662 (Yargong-chu) in quantities about 2000 ft up. Nothing else very interesting except a heath 1713 which is very pretty & should do well at home. I hope we get seeds. Prim 1711 (tsariensis) & 1712 (micropila) were both very beautiful. They both grow on slopes swept by snow avalanches & are the first to come out, with that queer little white prim which we found at Chichchar. Buddhow went straight down the valley & at about 5 m. down, found a fine white Maddenii (lindleyi) rhododendron 1702, which unfortunately was very scarce. I hope we can find some more of it. There was another too, which was not in flower. He also got a pretty

SUMMARY:
The diarist describes a difficult crossing of the Chubumbu La in mist, rain, and snow, followed by notable finds of Primula species and hybrids on the southern slopes. They also note a later visit to the Chimi La, where melting snow revealed several bodies of Lhopas from the previous autumn.

CONTENT:
In profusion had just been uncovered by melting snow, and seed capsules were still full of good seed. On the edge of the Abies forest, Omphalogramma minus was seen, while on very damp swampy slopes, O. brachysiphon was again found. As before, the flowers of this were mostly 5-partite, though a small percentage had six segments. On June 7th, I crossed the Chubumbu La (13,900'), the last 1,000 ft of which was deep in snow on the North side. The South face, however, was clear except for piles of avalanche snow 1,000' down the very steep slopes. It was a beastly day of driving mist and rain, over cold conditions which we had on every single Himalayan Pass this year, with the solitary exception of one fine morning on the Ka La in April. However, I was soon compensated for this. We took a last breather behind a rock on the summit before plunging down the southern slopes, and a compass bearing to keep us right as there was no path visible. Almost at once, we saw a mass of golden yellow Primulas. This proved to be the same as found south of the Do La in Ap at 11,500'; but here it was with proper habitat. This has now been named P. chionogenes. With it was also another Petiolarid Primula - P. tsariensis, and occasionally these two had hybridized and produced a queer but pretty Primula, the colour of which was about halfway between golden yellow and blue-violet. These covered the steep, slippery slopes for 500 ft, where their place was taken by equally large numbers of P. elizabethae, one of the most magnificent of Primulas. Among other Primulas found here were P. pudibunda, P. firma, P. normandiana, P. aff. clutterbuckii (3937), P. dickieana var. pantlingii, and P. barbatula.

The next Pass visited was only a few miles further East - the Chimi La, of 15,000'. Here again, snow lay deep on the North face, the last 1,000' of the N face, but it was melting fast, and we came across several bodies of Lhopas who had been overcome by bad weather the previous Autumn. I was surprised to find that

SUMMARY:
Notes abundant Primula species on hillsides and highlights several Pedicularis specimens from a nala above camp. Observes eremophila with young and shoots two snowcock, then walks to the Le La and into another valley, noting Gentiana amoena forma pallida on shale scree near the pass, not yet in flower.

CONTENT:
144

P. consocia 2284. Mec. horridula (white bella) 2286. Sax. sessiliflora 2288.
P. hyacinthina 2294

Primulas indeed all over the hillsides, but no others bar P. tsariensis, pygmaeorum, roylei & macrophylla, with a few late flowering atrodentata & masses of sikkimensis.

The nicest flower we saw was a Pedicularis 2293 (Pedic. bella v. holophylla 2293), from the nala just 1 m above camp. Another Pedicularis 2290 (Pedic. megalocheila 2290) is also very pretty (Pedic. zephanantha 2295). Saw masses of eremophila with their young about 400' above camp. They appear to have either 2 or 3 chicks. Shot two snowcock pretty high up. There were many young birds with them, able to fly.

5th July. Halt. Le La. Fine most of the morning & part of the afternoon. Went up to the Le La direct, then turned left into another valley, so circled home. On the pass there is now no snow either side. Gentiana amoena forma pallida is fairly common just near the top in pure shale scree. I also saw it further to the left on a ridge further south. It is not yet out, but I could see the flowers that they were

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:
Field notes from Langong record several Primula taxa with observations on abundance, flower color, and phenology, including comparisons to a prior Bhutan primula (3366). P. tsariensis is noted as abundant north and south of the Main Himalayan Range, and a bearing for the Langong valley is given.

CONTENT:
31a
Langong.

3917. Primula dryadifolia. Langong. Very common in valley due N. of Langong village.

3918. • var. microdonta. Langong. Hardly any seen.
3919. • tsariensis, white form. Langong. This again agrees with the type in appearance, except that flowers are white. It does not resemble the Bhutan primula (3366) at all. It is a much more upstanding plant, longer scape, smaller flower.
3920. • tsariensis. Langong. Taken when these plants are in full flower. No 3779 was taken soon after they were in flower. The hills hereabouts abound in P. tsariensis, both north & south of the Main Himalayan Range.
3921. • P. sikkimensis sect. (? Hopeana?). pudibunda. Langong.

The valley at LANGONG lies at a bearing of approx. 250° - 65° from Langong.

SUMMARY:
Entries from camps east of Lo La describe rough roads, changing weather, and botanical collecting focused on rhododendrons and primulas. Ludlow shot two male monal while coolies snared a female, and the diarist explored with Tsongpen and Tsering before moving to Singo Samba.

CONTENT:
Lo La
27

13th May. Camp 4 m E of Lo La. 6 miles. Rained all night. Fine all day with a little sun now and then. Left at 5.45, in at 3.15. I went up the new road on the L bank (L bank = right bank), and for 2 miles it was not bad, the next mile bad and the 4th mile very bad indeed. It then joins the old road at the bridge. Flowers rather disappointing, or perhaps I expected too much from the cliff faces we passed. We climbed up one a long way, very much further than I felt capable of, but found little of interest. Rhododendron 3750 is a queer thing with a most unusual colour, and 3751 R. primuliflorum? is a very pretty little thing. Got a few more collections of previous primulas, but not much else.

14th May. Camp 2 m E of Lo La. At approx 12000' 2 miles. It cleared up last night, and today has been a lovely bright sunny day, a very pleasant change. A good day for both of us too, as Ludlow shot 2 monal, which are Sclateri as expected. Both were males. The coolies between them snared a female. Tsongpen, Tsering and I went up the waterfall nullah which comes in from the E 1 m below camp. Although there was very little there, we got one new primula 3762. This one is just barely fully out yet, and there is not a great deal of it to be had, but it is a most unusual one, and I have had doubts about it being a primula. However it is one, but to what section it belongs, I can't make out. The rhododendrons are most confusing. There seem to be so many Thomsonii Ser. which vary very little indeed, with larger or smaller calyces, or perhaps a few glands on the ovary or style.

15th May Halt. Fine night and a lovely bright day again. Went up at 5.30 keeping high - South - of the Lo La. Within an hour I had shot a male monal and seen two females. We saw seven in all, so they are pretty common. We also saw snow partridge. Quite a good day, as we found several interesting flowers, including P. tsariensis. Of this I have no doubt but it does make me doubt the ones which Wright Smith identified as P. bariensis from Bhutan - 3366 - 3367. This one, No 3779, is exactly as found at Tsari Chikchar in colour, size of flower and everything.

16th May. Singo Samba. 8 miles. Rained in the night and early in the morning. Cleared up about 10 am, and turned into a beautiful evening. We were surprised to find it raining this morning after a perfect evening yesterday. Tsongpen went NE from the Lo La, and Tsering and I went to the S West. But it is still too early to find much. P. tsariensis grows on the N of the Pass in...

SUMMARY:
List of plant specimens with numbers recorded at Migyitun on 24 May, including several Primula species, Meconopsis simplicifolia, Cephalanthera longifolia, Pleione scopulorum, Cypripedium elegans, and Cassiope selaginoides.

CONTENT:
Migyitun 24th May

sp. no. Chrysosplenium ludlowii 1683
Enkianthus deflexus 1684
Primula alpicola var. violacea 1685
Primula hopeana 1686
Primula alpicola 1689
Primula tsariensis 1693
Primula calderiana 1694
Meconopsis simplicifolia 1687
Cephalanthera longifolia 1688
Phoebe's nest egg - Pleione scopulorum 1691
Cypripedium elegans 1695
Cassiope selaginoides 1696

SUMMARY:
Page lists plant collections with specimen numbers from Takar La on 15 Aug and additional Gentiana records from Sur La in the Phari-Kyirong-da area in 1933. Mentions Ludlow and Sherriff.

CONTENT:
aka to Ludlow & Sherriff.
Phari-Kyirong-da in 1933

Takar La 15 Aug
Swertia handelii sp. nov. 2062
Gen. namlaensis 2063, 2064
otophoroides 2073
taylori 2074
Cyananthus lobatus 2084
Prim. sikkimensis 2065, 2077, 2078
tsariensis 2067, 2081
odontica sp. nov. 2068
glabra 2070
ioessa 2071
cawdoriana 2072
ioessa subpinnatifida 2075

Sur La
Gentiana
G. rubicunda v.
parviflora 2050
tubiflora 2051
filistyla v.
parviflora 2052
infelix 2053
namlaensis 2054
tsarongensis 2055
przewalskii 2056
taylori sp. nov. 2057

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?)