34 THE FOREST 



The P. denticulata has purple to bright sapphire 

 blue flowers, and great stretches of country are 

 almost blue with the lovely heads of this primrose. 

 Miles of country can be seen literally covered with 

 P. obtusifolia, which has purple flowers and a strong 

 metallic smell. P. Kingii is a lovely plant with 

 flowers of such a dark claret colour that they are 

 almost black. And perhaps the most striking 

 primula is P. Elwesiana, with large solitary deflexed 

 purple flowers. 



Poppies also are a feature of the Sikkim vegeta- 

 tion. Near the huts the people cultivate a majestic 

 species near Menconopsis simplicifolia, but it grows 

 in dense clusters 2 or 3 feet high. The flowers vary 

 in diameter from 5 to 7 inches, and are an intensely 

 vivid blue on opening, though they change before 

 fading into purple. M. simplicifolia itself is also 

 found at altitudes from 12,000 to 15,000 feet a 

 clear light blue species of special beauty, growing 

 as a single flower on a single stem, and now to be 

 seen at both Edinburgh and Kew. Another beauti- 

 ful poppy is the M. nepalensis, which grows in the 

 central dampest regions of Sikkim at elevations of 

 10,000 to 11,000 feet and resembles a miniature 

 hollyhock, the flowers being of a pale golden or 

 sulphur-yellow, 2 or 3 inches in diameter and 

 several on a stalk. 



As Tangu is approached the valley expands into 

 broad grassy flats, and here at about 13,000 feet the 

 vegetation rapidly diminishes in stature and abund- 

 ance, and the change in species is very great. Larch, 

 maple, cherry, and spiraea disappear, leaving wil- 

 lows, juniper, stunted birch, silver fir, mountain 



