Part 92 - Tum La plant collections and route notes to Tunga La and Datang

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SUMMARY:
Field notes from Tum La on 7–8 July record multiple Primula and other alpine species, with observations on colour forms, abundance, and habitat. The page also notes a path from near Nagu toward the Tunga La and describes the easier south-side descent of Tum La, with the village of Datang reported as two marches away.

CONTENT:
46a
Tum La 7 & 8 July

5762. Primula reticulata flexitipes? Nagu Chu
5763. Primula aff. alpicola violacea. Tum La. I don't know this colour variation, if this is P. alpicola. A very pretty primula, constant as far as I saw. Only on the Pass from the South side.
      8/7. Common to the E of the Tum La.
5764. Primula calliantha nivalis Sect. Tum La. No flowers seen. Two very wet & quite withered flowers were found on one plant, often seemed to be yellow, I have not seen this primula before. Not common here.
5765. Omphalogramma elwesiana minus? Tum La. Common, but flowers nearly all over.
5766. Primula barbata? Tum La. Very like 3990, but rather bigger, perhaps because taken later.
5767. Primula vernicosa. Tum La. Leaves were rather like P. Boothii for which I at first took it, but the short pedicels put it as P. vernicosa I think. P. elizabethae 5777.
5768. Meconopsis lyrata var. flava aff. argemonantha. Tum La. Although the colour is "pale lemon yellow" the yellow is very distinct, & could not be mistaken for white ever. Otherwise appears very like P. argemonantha, obtained from a very similar habitat. 8-10 left for seed numbered, but the place will be hard to find, as the mist was so thick today we could see nothing of the ridge we were on even.

Rhod. cerasina 5768, Chariessa 5769, Diapensia multiflora 5772. Tofieldia yunnanensis 5773. Rosa sericea 5776.
Cremanthodium reniforme 5780. Rhod. trilectorum sp. nov. 5782.

X. Near the bridge this side of our first camp & Nagu a path leads to the East, to the Tunga La, over which Lopas come in August (a different sort to these). The Tunga La would be a day's march from the Nagu Chu.

X. Descent on South side of Tum La is easier than on the North, but the path very bad indeed, in heavy rain, is a torrent. Direction at first South, then S.E. The distance to the first village, called DATANG is said to be two marches for laden men, about 15-20 miles probably.