Part 36 - Khoma and Rip La: earth tremor, seed plans, and Primula discovery

1 page

SUMMARY:
The writer plans to push higher toward Tiu beyond Nashima, arranging for a local to collect seeds for Betty and noting an afternoon earth tremor. On 2nd May at Khoma, after weather changes and a climb toward the Rip La, they observe an unusual Primula possibly distinct from known species.

CONTENT:
I see that by mid May I was collecting a good deal at 12-13,000'. So we must push up a bit and see what is to be found in Tiu, beyond Nashima. I wish I knew a bit more about the country, and also how the height will affect me. Here it is all right. Flower specimens are drying very well here, with a good wind up and down the valley, and with all the sun we have had. But I don't feel there is really anything of interest down here which we will want seed of badly. I have told a local to collect seed of two things for Betty if he can, if they are ripe, one is Styrax, which he calls Tralishing, the other a shrub with pretty hanging clusters of long tubed slightly pink flowers, which we first took on the Rudu La, and which here they call Pumpa shing. This afternoon at 3:30 (my time) there was a sharp severe earth tremor, immediately preceded by what sounded like thunder, but which was presumably not. It only lasted 5 or 6 seconds.

2nd May. Khoma. What a day — one full of incident from beginning to end — or what almost amounts to end now, that is 4:00 pm. It was fine till we got in at 1:00 pm, then rainy and then fine again. We left at 5:05 and walked down to the bottom of the ascent to the Rip La, about 2 hours going. Then we started to climb, and almost at once I saw a Primula I've never seen before, unless it can be a Cortusa, which I don't think. I can think of nothing which this one could be. [Primula mollis 18856] It is dark purplish red with a yellow eye, has very large soft round leaves, hairy stems and petioles, and then appears to be a Candelabra Primula. By the leaves it might be Obconica or Cortusoides, but I don't think