OBSERVATIONS ON HIMALAYAN CONIFERS. 



245 



The discovery by Dr. Griffith of a genuine larch in Bhotan 

 (p. 53) renders Dr. Royle's <: of true larix none " no longer 

 applicable to the Himalaya. My original reference was derived 

 from Dr. Griffith's report to Government in the Journal of the 

 Asiatic Society ; in the Journals of Travels (p. 287, 293) its 

 occurrence is twice mentioned, once at 6,000, and once, above 

 Woollookka, at 9,400 feet ; dwarfed at the latter elevation. 

 From the Itinerary Notes, p. 189, No. 1011, the latter only 

 would appear to be the authentic habitat ; at least it is not 

 inserted elsewhere. Supposing the species to be the same, I am 

 indebted to Dr. Hooker for the following account of its appear- 

 ance and habitat west of Bhotan. 



" The larch, which I propose should bear Griffith's name, 

 occurs in Sikhim and in the valleys of eastern Nepal, close up to 

 the snow. In the latter country, the Kambachen valley, imme- 

 diately under the Junmu Peak of 25,000 feet, is full of it at 

 11,000 to 12,000 feet, mixed with Abies Webbiana. In Sikhim 

 it is very common in the interior and rearward valleys and 

 mountain slopes; but is not found in the" Sub-Himalaya, or on 

 the south flanks of Kunchinjinga. Limits 9,000 to 13,000 feet ; 

 usually 9,000 to 12,000. Rarely occurs gregarious or in clumps ; 

 habit and habitat a good deal resembling those of Larix Eu- 

 ropcea ; but the leaves, which redden and fall in November, are 

 in more scattered fascicles. Cones large, erect, red-purple when 

 young, and abounding in tears of white resin, it rarely exceeds 

 30 to 40 feet in height, except on shingle-banks of alpine streams, 

 where it sometimes attains 60. It is an inelegant, sparely- 

 branched tree, and, except for its bright-green foliage and 

 resinous cones, unworthy of comparison with the European 

 species. The boughs stand out awkwardly, and often droop sud- 

 denly in very pendulous and even flagelliform branches. Timber 

 small, but splits well, and is used for flooring. The Bhotiya 

 name is Sah" 



Abies Brunoniana (Pinus dumosa, Don). This was omitted 

 in the enumeration of N.W. Himalayan pines, as I had never 

 seen it ; but it probably exists at its N.W. limit, in the Bhotiya 

 purgunnas of Kumaoon, towards the sources of the Kalee, which 

 seem to be indicated by the " Bhotanice alpibus" of Don, who 

 states that it was there found by Captain Webb : it is perhaps to 

 be included in the pines noted there by Captain H. Strachey, 

 under the name " JVoomun." Dr. Wallich mentions the Ne- 

 palese (Newar ?) name " Changathasi Dhoop" implying that, it 

 is employed for incense ; but Don has " Silloo Hatarhee. ,> 

 Gosainthan, Bunipa, and Sheopoor are given as habitats ; but, 

 when in Nepal, Mr. Winterbottom learnt from plant-collectors 

 that the tree does not grow on the latter mountain. Dr. Hooker 



