Part 113 - Kulu Pher Chu: Primula observations and march to Lamdo

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SUMMARY:
Field notes detail several Primula species around Kulu Pher Chu and plans with the Tsungpen to reach Lamdo over a high ridge en route to Tseladzong. A wet halt day included further plant observations on avalanche-swept slopes and concerns about mail and Shadu, followed by a cold, rain-soaked march to Lamdo (11 miles) with a guide who initially took the wrong spur.

CONTENT:
Kulu Pher Chu
58
Primula

P. rhodochroa No. 5890, about 6 more flowers. P. capitata (subsp. crispata?) 5975 is common close to camp on the steep hillside. P. micropetala? (P. hesperidium) 5888 is also fairly common higher up. Then we found a few P. bellidifolia 5966 with flowers just over. Also what I at first took to be P. macrophylla, but which I think maybe P. sinopurpurea 5964. We saw a few seed specimens with two whorls of flowers. (P. kongboensis) 5970 I think might be P. petrocharis, but I don't know. P. muscoides, the violet form was just in flower still, 5971: and a fine form of P. jonardunii (P. dryadifolia) 5952, with all scapes 2-flowered was seen. Perhaps this is P. dryadifolia. The scapes held the flowers clear of the leaves which were bigger than usual. Saxifrages abound, over from a good many. This was a hard day's climb, or don't think we will do very much tomorrow, but prepare for the next day, when Tsungpen and I intend to go to Lamdo via the top of the ridge, instead of along the valley bed. It will be a long climb first, to over 15000 ft, then a long tedious traverse, before the steep descent. But I think it should be worth it, a good finish up before reaching Tseladzong. I hope to finish this book of Field Notes, up to 6000, which will give me up to 920 specimens this year. Taylor will likely have 1500 or so.

28th July. Halt. Rained a good deal at night. Clouded all day, with light rain most of the day. Had a fairly slack day today, crossing the river and going up one of the side valleys opposite camp to 13000'. It was a very steep slope which is swept by avalanche every spring, and kept bare. A good deal of snow still near the bottom, and snow has kept several plants back. We saw for instance, several Prim. atrodentata still in flower. Nomocharis nana also common, in flower. All thoughts in camp are about the mail, and whether Shadu also will be at Tsela before us. I rather doubt whether either will be before us. We ourselves will be one day early. I rather dread tomorrow's trek, especially if wet, as seems likely. We climb over 2000 ft to start off with, then have a long traverse along the hillside, before a steep descent of 5000 ft to Lamdo. However camp will be waiting ready for us, which always is nice to have.

29th July. Lamdo. 11 miles. Yesterday was a disastrous day. It poured all day and up on the hill was very cold indeed, with a strong wind. We had a Lopa to 'show us the way'. He did not start off too well, by going up the hill the wrong spur. Then we got into thick
30th July. Halt.