THE VEGETATION OF TEMPERATE AXD ALPINE SIKHIM. 103 



flavour; various species of Rihcs bear racemes of red and yellow fruits 

 reminding of red currants. No species of liubus, strange to saj^, grows 

 above 13,000 feet. 



Other noteworthy plants were two species of Crcmaiifhodium, 

 Polygonum vaccimfoUum^ Oxijria digijna ; Pedicular is of several species, 

 all with purple flowers, Potcntilla fnUicosa, yellow and white saxifrages, 

 Epilohimn, Ladiica macrantlia, Parnassia, and aconites. Above the 

 region of trees is a dense low growth of Rhododendron campamdatum, the 

 unfolding leaves of which colour the landscape with a dark glaucous 

 tint. The bladder-headed Saussurea ohvaUata thrives on the damp 

 verges of water-courses, and bumble bees aff"ect its foetid flower-heads 

 which are enclosed in white inflated papyx'aceous bracts. Equally- 

 remarkable plants are the woolly Saussurea (S. gossgpiphora), delight- 

 ing to grow in sandy dehris, appearing at first sight as balls of 

 white fleecy wool. The young flower-heads are comj^letely enveloped 

 in their soft protective covering: but when the florets expand, a ring 

 opens on the top disclosing the inflorescence inside. In similar 

 situations is found Crepis glomcrata, whose carrot-like stem buried in 

 the ground is flattened on a level with the surface and bears a broad 

 head of yellow flowers surrounded by small radiating leaves pressed 

 closely to the soil. Rheum nobile is common, and ascends to 17,000 

 feet. Between the minor pass of Kanko and the glacier below 

 Tankra La, there are multitudes of bright-hued flowering jjlants 

 mostly confined to the sloping banks of the streams. On the Kanko 

 La itself there are three small localized pi'imroses — P. uniflora, P. mtis- 

 coides and P. soldanelloides — LiguJaria^ brown and yellow Chrgsosplenium, 

 yellow saxifrages, blue and yellow forms of Corgdalis, several species 

 of Pedicularis and blue gentians. Dr. Hooker enumerated the plants 

 to be found on the bleak pass of Tankra: — "A pink-flowered Arenaria, 

 two kinds of Corgdalis, the cottony Saussurea, diminutive primroses, 

 Leontopodiwn, Scdum, Sazij'raga, Ranunculus hijperlorea^ Ligularia, two 

 species of Polggomim, a Trichostomum, Sfcreocaulon and Lecidea geogra- 

 phica, not one grass or sedge. In addition to these I found Meconopsis 

 horridula, a lovely plant belonging to the Papavcracece, an order with 

 notoriously delicate flowers. It affects the most inclement situations, 

 sheltering itself under the shade of large rocks. 



The fragrant spikenard {Nardostachgs Jatamansi) is plentiful in 

 the depression below the Tankra peaks, and Picrorhiza Karrooa, 

 intensely bitter when chewed, is abundant about 1-1,000 feet, as are 

 species of Lagotis which bear a superficial resemblance to the latter. 

 The only woody plant beyond the Kanko La is the humble Diplarchs 

 pauci flora. 



Another interesting Alpine tract of comparatively easy access 

 from Lachung is the Lebu valley, through which runs the scarcely 



