THE VEGETATION OF TEMPERATE AND ALPINE SIKHIM. 97 



and Pohjgonum molle. Aconitum uncinatum, remarkable in its genus 

 by its scandent habit, is extremely localized, and dues not exist beyond 

 a radius of two miles from Lachung village. 



The handsome fern Osmunda Claijtoniana overruns large areas 

 in the manner of the bracken at lower elevarions. Two species of 

 Leucostegia with hay-scented fronds, L. Hookeri and L. membranuhsa, 

 and a large form of Pkopeltis simplex grow in a wood about 8,000 

 feet in elevation. G'oniophlcbmm ehenipes occurs in dense clusters on 

 the tops of many of the numerous rocks. 



Woodivardia radicnns, ChcUanthcs albomarginata, Ptcris dactylina, 

 Adiantimi pcdahmi, Botrycluum tcrnatum^ all rarer in other parts, are 

 common along the course of the Lachung, as is also the ivy, which 

 has a very restricted distribution in tliis country. Here it rambles up 

 the stems of trees in a simple unbranched manner, which gives it a 

 widely different appearance from the same plant in Europe which 

 clothes trees, old walls, and buildings so densely. 



The peach and apricot, said to have been introduced from Tibet, 

 are cultivated by the villagers. Pyrus SikJcimensis, the Sikhim crab- 

 apple, is common. Agriculture is not pursvied in earnest by the people, 

 their only crops being scanty fields of barley, radishes, and. turnips. 

 The temperate region is eminently distinguished by its variety of coni- 

 ferous trees. Pkca 3Ioriinla and Tsuga Bruiwnicma are found between 

 8 and 11,000 feet. The former is a tall, conical tree, with thick trunk 

 and dark green pendulous branches; the latter has sjireading branches 

 drooping at the extremities, and bears very small cones. Zarix 

 Griffithii, the only Himalayan larch, grows only in Eastern Nepal, 

 Sikhim, and Bhutan, and previous to its re discovery by Dr. Hooker, its 

 existence was known only from a note in Griffith's Journals. Young 

 trees of this are commonly gregarious, and remind one of the gigantic 

 Lycopodia which once grew on the earth. Full-grown specimens are 

 pyramidal in outline, and attain a height of sixty feet. The branches 

 are long and pendulous, supporting erect, cylindrical cones resembling 

 those of Picea Morinda. It first appears at 8,000 feet, becomes plenti- 

 ful at 9,500 feet, and ascends to 12,000 feet. It is the only deciduous 

 conifer in Sikhim, the leaves falling in autumn to be renewed in 

 the succeeding summer. All these conifers are often infested with a 

 lichen, Vsnea barbafa^ which hangs in long grey streamers, giving the 

 scenery a quaintly antique appearance. I was told that, when reduced 

 to straits for food, the Tibetans boil and eat this uninviting plant, 

 finding it to be as nourishing and satisfying as flesh diet. 



As I did not visit the Lachen valley, I can give no detailed 

 account of its vegetation ; but, judging from Sir J. D. Hooker's descrip- 

 tions, its flora is m most ways identical with that of tl»e Lachung 

 valley. I may, however, safely conclude this part of my paper by 



ii 



