A BOTANICAL TOUR IN SIKKIM. 205 



From Choongtam we marched to the village of Lachung in one day. As 

 far as Keadom the valley is narrow, and the path runs along the river bank for 

 most of the way. Here the valley expands into a large flat, with an elevation 

 of 6,600 feet, which enjoys such a warm and sunny climate that maize, millets 

 and other tropical crops are successfully cultivated. Onwards the valley 

 again becomes narrow, but two or three miles below Lachung it broadens 

 considerably and remains open for some miles above the village. 



A large proportion of sub-tropical trees and plants ascend to a short distance 

 above Keadom. These are succeeded by a dense shrubby vegetation of 

 Hydrangea, Rosa macropJiylla, and R, sericea, Prinsepia utilis, Pyrus, Pieris 

 ovalifolia and P. formosa, Zanthoxylum, Rhododendron arboreum, R. ciliatum. 

 and Maples, &c. Other plants are Leycesteria formosa, Buddleia macrostachya 

 and B. Colvillei, Berberis, and Rubus niveus with palatable fruits. Rosacea 

 alpina, the Box-like Sarcococca pruniformis are in great quantity. The 

 handsome fern, Osmunda Claytoniana, overruns large areas in the manner of 

 Bracken at lower elevations. Two species of Leucostegia, L. Hooheri and 

 L. membranulosa, with sweetly hay-scented foliage, and a large stipitate form 

 of Pleopeltis simplex grow in a wood at about 8,000 feet. Goniophlebium 

 ebenipes was in dense clusters on the tops of many of the numerous 

 rocks. 



This locality is eminently distinguished by its variety of Coniferous trees, 

 Abies Webbiana, the dominant species on the humid mountains of the Singa- 

 lelah and Ohola Ranges, even here maintains its supremacy in numbers. It 

 ranges from 9 to 13,000 feet. Up to 11,000 feet it grows intermingled with 

 the other lighter-f oliaged pines, but from that elevation to its highest limit, it 

 exists alone or associated with the equally dark coloured Juniperus pseudo- 

 sabina, so that nothing breaks the monotony of their sombre aspect on the 

 slopes which they clothe with their lofty forests. Juniperus -pseudo- sabina and 

 J. recurva are the two last representatives of arboreal vegetation, both attain- 

 ing 15,000 feet, the former as a small, stunted, weather-worn tree, the latter as 

 a prostrate intricately-branched shrub. Large quantities of planks cut exclu- 

 sively from Abies Webbiana, are annually exported to Tibet. Their prepara- 

 tion is an important industry of the inhabitants of Lachung, who shape the 

 timber with no other appliances than the axe and wedge. 



Picea Morinda and Tsuga Brunoniana 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 spreading branches drooping at the extremities and 

 bears very small cones. Larix Griffithii, the only Himalayan Larch, is restrict- 

 ed in its distribution to Eastern Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan ; and, previous to 

 its re-discovery by Sir J. D. Hooker, its existence was only known from a 

 notice in Griffith's journals. It is pyramidal in outline and attains a height of 

 sixty feet. The branches are long and pendulous and support erect, cylindrical 

 cones closely resembling those of Picea Morinda. It first appears at 8,000 feet, 

 becomes plentiful at 9,500 feet, and ascends to 12,000 feet. It is the only 



