70 DE. AITCHISON ON THE FLORA OF LAHUL. 



The country from which the accompanying plants were obtained 

 is the Chandra valley as far as Koksar and up to the Eotang 

 pass (13,090 feet), along the whole of the Bhaga valley up to the 

 Bara-Lacha pass (16,000 feet), and in the valley of that portion 



of the Chenab river that is in Lahul. 



The Chundra valley above Koksar was not visited by Mr. 

 Jaeschke, but was by Mr. Heyde ; and from what he saw of it, he 

 considered that it would be likely to prove of much interest to 

 the botanist, as it presented not a few plants that do not occur 

 in the rest of Lahul, and apparently seemed to enjoy a larger 

 quantity of rain and moisture, as seen by the presence of Poly- 

 podium lineare {Pliymatodes) ^ Thunb, 



The Lahulees do not recognize any of the above rivers by any 

 further term than that of "river,'' which they apply to all large 

 streams indiscriminately. The names Chundra-Bhaga and Chenab 



are of Hindoo origin. 



Where the union of the tAVO rivers takes place to form the 

 Chenab, the altitude is 9000 feet. Tlie bed of the Chenab through 

 Lahul does not average above 8500 feet. The land forming tins 

 portion of the Chenab valley is by the natives termed " Manchat 

 or the "low land " or the "lower valley." 



At Kyelang, a small village on the Bhaga, with an elevation of 

 9500 feet, is the Mission station. 



What is spoken of in this paper as " The Yalley of Lahul " may 

 be considered to average from 8500 to 10,000 feet in elevation ; 

 and it is to be understood that all plants stated to occur in the 

 "lower valley," reach only an elevation of 9000 feet, and hence 

 can only occur in the Chenab valley, — as, for instance, the Walnut, 

 which is only to be met with in the "lower valley- 



Climate, — Spring commences about the middle of April, and is 

 usually ushered in by the springing of grass. In ordinary years 

 the wild gooseberry will shew its leaves about the latter end ot 

 April. Snow lies at Kyelang to nearly the end of April, and then 

 rapidly vanishes under the influence of the sun's rays, whica 

 daily become more powerful. 



The dandelion. No. 6, Iris Kamaonensis, Wall., and Ko. 63, 



Gentiana, sp. (unnamed), are the first plants to show their early 



flowers, soon, however, followed by the Anemones. TnssiUg^ 



farfara, No. 248, flowers throughout the whole winter on ground 



that may be free from snow. 



In early spring the natives are very badly off for food, both le 



15 



I 



. 



