

May, 1848. ZONES OF VEGETATION. 143 



plant, common to the Himalaya, from Nepal eastward to 

 the Malayan peninsula, Java, and Ceylon. — 3. Of palms, a 

 species of Calamus, and Plectocomia, the " Rhenoul " of 

 the Lepchas. The latter, though not a very large plant, 

 climbs lofty trees, and extends about 40 yards through the 

 forest ; 6,500 feet is the upper limit of palms in the Sikkim 

 Himalaya, the Rhenoul alone attaining this elevation.* — 

 4. The fourth striking feature is a wild plantain, which 

 ascends to nearly the same elevation (" Lukhlo," Lepcha). 

 This is replaced by another, and rather larger species, at 

 lower elevations ; both ripen austere and small fruits, which 

 are full of seeds, and quite uneatable ; that commonly 

 grown in Sikkim is an introduced stock (nor have the wild 

 species ever been cultivated) ; it is very large, but poor in 

 flavour, and does not bear seeds. The zones of these con- 

 spicuous plants are very clearly defined, and especially if 

 the traveller, standing on one of the innumerable spurs 

 which project from the Dorjiling ridge, cast his eyes up the 

 gorges of green on either hand. 



At 1000 feet below Dorjiling a fine wooded spur projects, 

 called Leebong. This beautiful spot is fully ten degrees 

 warmer than Mr. Hodgson's house, and enjoys considerably 

 more sunshine; peaches and English fruit-trees flourish 

 extremely well, but do not ripen fruit. The tea-plant 



* Four other Calami range between 1000 and 6000 feet on the outer hills, 

 some of them being found forty miles distant from the plains of India. The other 

 palms of Sikkim are, " Simong" (Caryota urens) ; it is rare, and ascends to nearly 

 5000 feet. Phoenix (probably P. acaulis, Buch.), a small, stemless species, which 

 grows on the driest soil in the deep valleys ; it is the " Schaap " of the Lepchas, 

 who eat the young seeds, and use the feathery fronds as screens in hunting. 

 Wallichia oblongifolia, the " Ooh " of the Lepchas, who make no use of it ; 

 Dr. Campbell and myself, however, found that it is an admirable fodder for 

 horses, who prefer it to any other green food to be had in these mountains. 

 Areca gracilis and Licuala peltata are the only other palms in Sikkim; but 

 Cycas pectinata, with the India-rubber fig, occurs in the deepest and hottest 

 valleys — the western limit of both these interesting plants. Of Pandanus there 

 is a graceful species at elevations of 1000 to 4000 feet (" Borr," Lepcha). 



