Two Primulas from Everest Epedition of 1921

In 1921, the British Mount Everest reconnaissance expedition set off to explore possible routes up Everest. Since Nepal was closed to foreigners at the time, the expedition approached through Sikkim, into Tibet's Chumbi valley, then west to Tingri Dzong (north of Everest), which they used as a base. From here members explored south for routes up Everest including the Rongbuk valley, and Nangpa La. The expedition naturalist, A. F. Wollaston (image above, standing, at left) collected flora and fauna specimens which included two new Primulas; Primula buryana named for one of the expedition members, C. K. Howard-Bury, and Primula wollastonii named for himself. The route he travelled was a loop to the west of Mount Everest, first to Nyenyam (Nyalam) and then through Lapche to the Rongshar valley.

Primula wollastonii

In Howard-Bury's book "Mount Everest the reconnaissance, 1921" on page 298, Wollaston wrote about this side-trip and provided notes on the Natural History of the area. He writes of the discovery of the two Primulas;
"Crossing a pass to the East of Nyenyam, we camped on a level spot covered densely with white primulas (P. buryana) six to eight inches high; and inch or two of snow fell during the night, and so white are these flowers that it was difficult to see them against the snow. Near the top of another pass we found at about the same altitude, 15,000 feet, another primula (P. wollastonii) with three to six bells on each stem, the size of a small thimble, of a deep blue color, and lined inside with frosted silver."

Primula buryana

Using Wollaston's diary (Letters and Diaries of A.F.R. Wollaston) for July 20 (Nyenyam) to July 25, and a map of the expedition (Preliminary Map to illustrate the route of the Mount Everest Expedition 1921) plus more modern maps (NH 45-14 Tingri Dzong), it is possible to find the type locations for these two Primulas. The Tibet Handbook, page 263 describes the route in detail between Lapche and Trintang which where the Primulas were found. Wollaston incorrectly refers to Trintang as Rongshar. The route starts at Lapche (28° 6'56.56"N 86°10'17.96"E), heading NE up the main valley for about 6kms before turning into a side valley going to the SE. Wollaston camped at 15,200ft up this valley where he found Primula buryana. The next day he crossed the Kangchung La (28° 5'35.55"N 86°14'28.97"E) descending into an area of broken up glacier covered in moraine before going over the Kanchen La (28° 4'32.97"N 86°15'9.07"E), where he found Primula wollastonii, eventually crossing "two steep spurs" which are named Oodungpa La and Sobje La and are separated by a small lake. The route then descends directly down to Trintang.


Map of area Lapche-Trintang

The type for P. wollastonii is in Kew K000750421, with a syntype on the same sheet and the type herbarium sheet for P. buryana is also in Kew K000750442. Both are species in section Soldanelloides, which are high alpine species, with bell shaped flowers and pubescent leaves.

Primula buryana var. purpurea

A purple variety of P. buryana was discovered at Michet, Nepal by Sharma July 9, 1932 (#E345a). The collection can be seen at BM BM000521890 or at E E00024733. It Is possible that this represents a distinct species. 
 

Pam Eveleigh © 2018

Read More

The Mysterious Primula of Omta Tso (Bhutan)

Omta Tso, Bhutan

In November, 2016, I visited the herbarium at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh to study non-type herbarium sheets which are unavailable online. One of the species I wanted to investigate is Primula tsariensis which was described from a collection made in 1936 by Ludlow & Sherriff in the Tsari valley, SE Tibet  28°41'29.98"N 93°23'57.85"E.

It was initially compared with Primula griffithii and P. tanneri but it was distinguished by leaves which are rounded at the apex, bluntly crenulate at the margin and a calyx which is sparsely farinose and glandular. The flowers are described as rich purple.

Primula tsariensis

Going through the herbarium specimens, I came across a folder labelled "P. tsariensis yellow form". What is that?!! All of the collections of this form were Ludlow & Sherriff's from the area near Omta Tso  27°42'54.88"N 90°17'17.96"E in the upper Richen Chu valley, Bhutan. In 1937, Sherriff explored this place and so I traced his 1937 route using his diary and field notes. Sherriff mixed up the names of the two lakes Omta Tso and Thita Tso, so his initial collection #3383 is from the hillsides and shores of Omta Tso (not Thita Tso as stated in his notes). Sherriff gave it the name "Primula strumosa var. nana floribus maximus". Later, W.W. Smith & Fletcher gave it the name "Primula strumosa var. perlata" and in the Flora of Bhutan it is included by that name as a synonym under P. tsariensis. In the genus Primula, there are a number of species which have both purple and yellow forms, so the idea of a yellow P. tsariensis is acceptable.

Primula species of Omta Tso, Bhutan

Continuing to trace Sherriff's 1937 route, I found that he took a two day side trip (July 13-14) from Omta Tso, westwards along the ridge to Chore (I don't have an exact location for Chore, but it would seem to be a yak herder hut at the base of a cliff SW of Omta Tso) and then followed the main ridge south until descending to Maruthang via a steep gully. Sherriff said "I have never seen so many alpines out together as on this march. In places the hillsides and cliffs were just covered with them and the variety was great."

Omta Tso area, Sherriff 1937 - hybrids found along the orange route

Between Omta Tso and Chore, Sherriff came across a little grassy hollow 50 ft. x 50 ft. where there was a swarm of primulas of at least eight shades of colors including yellow, white, purple and blue. These same colors are seen in hybrids where P. calderiana crosses with P. strumosa. Essentially P. strumosa and P. calderiana are yellow and purple forms of the same species, though they have different geographical areas and P. strumosa grows at higher elevations.

Color variations of P. calderiana X P. strumosa

Sherriff knew these were hybrids but couldn't decide which species were the parents. To further complicate matters, Sherriff also found that the yellow, white and blue-purple flowered plants grew in separate masses of one color only. However, the white masses included a few variations of yellow tinged, or blue tinged plants. Sherriff collected what he said was true P. calderiana (L&S 3437) and that it was distinct from the others and not involved in the hybrids. In the field notes, someone (perhaps W.W. Smith) later wrote in the margin "I believe these are normal hybrids of P. calderiana and P. strumosa" and included a reference to hybrid L&S collections from Weitang and Pangotang (Tsampa), Bhutan in 1949, which are unfortunately I haven't seen.

So are the plants at Omta Tso P. tsariensis or are they P. strumosa?

The most obvious differences between the two species are that P. calderiana / P. strumosa smells "disagreeable", and has farina present on the bud scales, and on the upper scape, calyx and pedicels whereas P. tsariensis is not noted for its smell, has efarinose bud scales and only trace amounts of farina on the pedicels and calyx.

Bud scales - (L) no farina, P. tsarieneis, (R) with farina, P. strumosa

Sherriff was limited in his ability to document these plants but certainly more images can shed light on this problem. If you travel to this area and encounter these plants, please take lots of images of the flower color variations, showing the calyx, the basal bud scales, and leaves. And take a sniff!

Pam Eveleigh © 2017

Read More

The Black Mountain (Bhutan) - Primulas and Problems

Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park covers 1,730 sq kms in south-central Bhutan and contained within the park is Durshingla, the Black Mountain. (JSWNP Facebook page)

Durshingla © Darlo Letro

In 1915, Roland Edgar Cooper made the first botanical expedition to Durshingla, which he called Joedawnchi. From Cooper's 1914 and 1915 Bhutan expeditions, 19 species of Primula were described though only six are now considered to be distinct species: P. chasmophila, P. eburnea, P. erythrocarpa, P. strumosa, P. umbratilis and P. xanthopa. He wrote about those trips and specifically about the Primulas he found in Notes of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Vol.18, Nov. 1933.

Ludlow and Sherriff (L&S) visited Bhutan several times and Sherriff's 1937 expedition was specifically to Durshingla which he called Dungshinggang. He found no new Primula species there but he was able to recollect known species.


Sherriff's route up Durshingla in 1937

Both expeditions used a route from Chendebi, travelling west over the Lamse La into the Phobjikha valley. From there they ascended the ridge over the Byasu La to Chapepusa and then followed the ridge east until it met the main N-S ridge leading to the peak.

Primulas & Problems

1. The most interesting species found on Durshingla is Primula chasmophila and, so far, it is only found on this mountain. Cooper first discovered it in September and his herbarium specimen was sparse, so it was described from cultivated plants grown from seed. Sherriff collected it on the mountain ridge near the Nabzi La. Though it was scarcely in flower, he noted its deep, rich blue violet color, red eye and its cliff ledge habitat and compared it with Primula umbratilis, a much more widespread species that is also found on the mountain (Cooper 4822). What to photograph if you see this species? Variations in flower color, details of the hairs on the flower scape, leaf study.

Primula chasmophila L&S 3301,
courtesy Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

2. The type of Primula hopeana was collected by Cooper on Durshingla, in September, so the plants were in seed. In the description it was noted that sometimes the tube of the flower was "pink", which was seen by Sherriff on the mountain and is seen in populations in Arunachal Pradesh. This species resembles Primula sikkimensis and is sometimes considered a variety of it. Species in the Sikkimensis Section hybridize in the wild and it is very difficult to sort some populations into species. Sherriff noted that he saw true (yellow) sikkimensis here also, so I would expect some hybridizing. What to photograph if you see this species? Leaf study with the corresponding flower color and flower shape. Variations in flower color (don't forget to also show the flower face).

Primula hopeana

3. On the ridge to the NW of the Lamse La and also on the lower ridge of Durshingla Sherriff found a plant he thought was Primula strumosa but was later found to be Primula elongata. Primula elongata, P. barnardoana, P. sikkimensis and P. strumosa are all yellow flowered, so you must look to other characteristics to distinguish between these species. In Bhutan two variations of P. elongata occur, having slightly different leaves. What to photograph if you see this species? The most important image is a leaf study! The flower tube is also important to determine this species (side of the flower).

Primula elongata

4. On the high hills and passes surrounding the Pobsikha valley and lower on the ridge of Durshingla grows Primula whitei. The type location for this species is the nearby Pele La. This is another problem species as it is close to or the same as Primula bhutanica. See this blog post for details. What to photograph if you see this species? Any population of P. whitei should be checked to see if plants have any characteristics of P. bhutanica in particular the calyx (side of the flower). A leaf study, especially of the older leaves, would be useful.

Characteristics of P. bhutanica. Can you find plants like these in a population of P. whitei?

5. Another species in the Petiolares section was found growing in this area (Lamse la, Lao La). It caused Sherriff a lot of confusion as he thought it might be P. boothii, but it was later identified as Primula bracteosa. The Flora of Bhutan has P. boothii as a synonym of P. bracteosa, but there is a distinction between the two in that P. bracteosa develops leafy bracts among the inflorescence as it goes into fruit. In flower, the two species are indistinguishable though it is said that P. boothii does not have farina and has a slightly different calyx. What to photograph if you see this species? It is best if the same plants can be visited in flower and in fruit. The calyx detail and any farina should be photographed. A leaf study of the plants in flower and in fruit, including the later leaves in the inflorescence is necessary.

Primula bracteosa,
courtesy Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

6. The first Primula encountered by Sherriff on the way to Durshingla was Primula flagellaris, which he found within a mile of Chendebi, on the right side just before cliffs, on the way to the Lamse La. This has been a problem species because it has also been considered a variety of Primula tenella. The distinctions between P. tenella and P. flagellaris are in the flower size and color, number of flowers per scape (1 or 2), presence or absence of bracts and presence or absence of stolons. I believe the species described in 2004 as Primula rebeccae is a synonym of Primula tenella. What to photograph if you see this species? Both a flower study to show size and color variation and a leaf study (both surfaces) with measurements would be helpful. Images of the stolons (runners) and the new plantlets that form on the ends of the stolons. Flower stalks should be checked for bracts (which look like a tiny leaf) and photographed if found. Sherriff believed there was an altitudinal difference between the two species, with P. flagellaris at a lower altitude than P. tenella. It would be exciting if P. tenella was found at higher elevations on Durshingla.

Primula tenella usually has 1 flower and a bract.

If you are at Chendebi, look for a small species on the near by hills (SW) for Primula erythrocarpa which looks like P. atrodentata or a small P. denticulata. Check for basal scales under the leaves and show the hairs on the leaves.

Other Primula species found on Durshingla: P. atrodentata, P. munroi, P. calderiana, P. megalocarpa, P. waddelli, P. bellidifolia, P. obliqua, and P. glabra.

I am uncertain of the exact location of Nabzi La on Durshingla. If you have the GPS coordinates for it or a GPS track for the route up the ridge, please contact Pam. If you are interested in more details of these species or locations, or if you have images of these species, please contact Pam.

A video of Foresters in Bhutan https://leythro-darlo.blogspot.ca/2017/02/conservation-journey-video.html

Pam Eveleigh © 2017

Read More

Primula pulchra - Hide and Seek with P. gambleana

In 1882, An article was published in the Journal of the Linnean Society titled "On some Undescribed and Imperfectly known Indian Species of Primula and Androsace" by George Watt. It was actually J.D. Hooker that wrote this article in Watt's name, using Watt's notes, though revising them where needed, and with the intention that this would be used in the Flora of British India that was being written at the time by Hooker.


Primula pulchra or not? (Smith collection)

The first new species of Primula described in the article is P. gambeliana (a spelling mistake of P. gambleana) from a collection (Watt 5483) made at "the Tra Cha Kumpa Kubra Rock (Black Kabur?) above Jongri (Dzongri), Sikkim 27°30'29.99"N 88° 9'9.45"E. It grows in moss and often in crevices of steep wet cliffs.

P. pulchra is the second new species described in the article, from a collection (s.n. 12,000 ft) made by Hooker at Lachen, Sikkim (27°43'2.18"N 88°33'29.02"E, probably in the Zemu valley according to Hooker's Himalayan Journals). Also noted is a syntype collection (Watt 5406) made at the upper Ratong Chu Basin, Jongri (27°32'38.68"N 88° 8'4.47"E) for which Watt 5268 is given as equivalent. This location is very close to the type location for P. gambleana.

Both of these species are figured: P. gambleana - Tab I, and P. pulchra Tab II. A (see image below). Hooker makes the comment under P. gambleana in the Flora of British India: "petiole not sheathed at the base as in P. pulchra, which this a good deal resembles".

Drawings from the Journal of the Linnean Society

If you compare the two drawings side by side, there are a lot of similarities between the two species. Both having a sheathing base, but the scales are much larger in P. pulchra. The most obvious difference is the leaf shape with the leaves of P. gambleana shown as orbicular though Smith & Fletcher later described them as "ovate-cordate or ovate-oblong rather than orbicular" and noted that the figure shows the leaves as more orbicular than is usual. The leaf base is described as usually deeply cordate but occasionally truncate. Smith & Fletcher describes the leaves of P. pulchra as oblong to ovate-oblong with a rounded or slightly cordate base. Both species are shown with an obvious scape with 1-10 flowers. The relative size of the plants on the types specimens are similar.

P. pulchra? capsule (L), P. gambleana capsule (R)
courtesy Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

Apparently, the most distinguishing feature is the seed capsule which was not known when the two species were described. P. gambleana has a cylindrical capsule, twice as long as the calyx and dehiscing by longitudinal valves. Seen in only one collection of P. pulchra (Tari, Sikkim, no collector) at Edinburgh is a subglobose capsule equalling the calyx dehiscing by a crumbling wall (Section Petiolares type). This collection is of 6 thin, sparsely flowered plants, and none show the sheathing base that is seen in similar plants in the type collections. Is this really P. pulchra in seed or is it another petiolarid species?

Primula sp Yak Desha = P. pulchra Smith?

In about 1985, George Smith made a collection from the area near Kanchenjunga that was identified as P. pulchra. It was awarded a PC in 1991 and may still be still in cultivation. This clone does not seem to produce the tall scapes of the type collection and it makes me wonder if it really is P. pulchra. In addition to this is a recent image from Yak Desha, Nepal which seem to equate to the Smith collection but again does not seem to be the same as the type collection of P. pulchra!

Perhaps the Smith collection is true P. pulchra, but it is important to get it right because it affects other related species P. chamaethauma and P. chamaedoron which have been lumped into P. pulchra by some authorities.

What is needed is lots of images, including the capsules, of both P. pulchra and P. gambelana from Sikkim in the Ratong basin (near HMI Base Camp) and the cliffs around Black Kabur, near Dzongri and also the Zemu valley. Only with this additional information can this puzzle be solved. If you can help, please contact Pam Eveleigh.

Pam Eveleigh © 2017

Read More

Recent New Primula Species (2016)

The New Year is a good time to reflect on what is new in Primula. Although I have made a lot of progress on my Original Description Project, the list of all Primula species is a moving target. In particular, there have been several Chinese species discovered. Changes for 2016 include:

Primula persimilis - from the original publication

Primula persimilis G.Hao, C.M.Hu & Y.Xu - Discovered near Luzhou, Sichuan, this species has white flowers with a tawny, hairy calyx. It belongs in Section Monocarpicae and strongly resembles P. tsiangii, but differs in flower color, capsule shape and length of pedicels and calyx.

Primula scopulicola G.Hao, C.M.Hu & Y.Xu - A new member of Section Monocarpicae from Sichuan growing at the same location as P. persimilis. It most closely resembles P. lithophila which also grows in the same area but has smaller flowers, distinctly petiolate leaves, a campanulate calyx, and the capsule is globose (not cylindrical).

Primula undulifolia G.Hao, C.M.Hu & Y.Xu - A new species from Hunan, named for the wavy and shallow undulations on the leaf margin. It is a member of section Carolinella which is noted for its calyptrate (opening by a lid) capsules and is similar to Primula kwangtungensis but differs by its smaller flowers and narrowly oblong leaves with an undulate margin.

Primula wawushanica G.Hao, C.M.Hu & Y.Xu - This species was listed in my 2015 year end post, but it had not then been officially published. It belongs in Section Petiolares, Subsection Davidii and resembles P. fagosa and P. epilosa but is distinguished by sessile leaves, smaller flowers, shorter scape at flowering and a calyx split to 1/3. See the original description for images.

Primula calderiana subsp. bawaii

Primula calderiana Balf.f. & R.E.Cooper subsp. bawaii Bawri, Gajurel & M.L.Khan - Differs from P. calderiana subsp. strumosa (P. strumosa) by having efarinose leaves, the calyx cut slightly deeper into lobes with an cute apex, and emarginated petal lobes. it is unclear how this subspecies differs from P. strumosa var. perlata or the yellow form of P. tsariensis.

There are also a series of newly described subspecies published in Primulaceen-Studien, which I don't currently have a copy of. They include:
Primula hirsuta All. subsp. brevipilosa Kress
Primula hirsuta All. subsp. longipilosa Kress

Primula intricata Gren. & Godr. subsp. alpina Kress
Primula intricata Gren. & Godr. subsp. bergidensis (Kress) Kress
Primula intricata Gren. & Godr. subsp. impigrorum (Kress) Kress
Primula intricata Gren. & Godr. subsp. patens (Kress) Kress
Primula intricata Gren. & Godr. subsp. subcordata (Kress) Kress

Happy New Year and Best Wishes to All in 2017!

Pam Eveleigh © 2016

Read More

Primula Hunting in NW Yunnan

There are many remote places to explore for rare Primulas and NW Yunnan is one of them. The area west of Zhongdian (Shangri-La) 27°50'10.19"N 99°42'15.44"E, towards the Myanmar border and crossing the Mekong (Lancang) and Salween (Nujiang) rivers is prime Primula habitat.

Getting to this area isn't easy, and it is limited to people willing to go beyond road-side botanizing. However there is a Plant Hunting Expedition run by Whistling Arrow going here in 2017*. Simon Crutchley from Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh will be along as the botanical consultant. If you are in need of an adventure, check it out.

What Primulas grow there?

Starting at the Mekong river valley is the town of Cizhong, home to a Catholic church built under the supervision of Father Theodore Monbeig, and completed in 1911. This replaced a previous church which was located 3kms south at the village of Cigu ( 28° 0'21.07"N 98°53'51.59"E) that was destroyed in 1905. Overlooking Cigu is Thrana "the black nose", an outcrop of rock which is the type location for Primula monbeigii, now considered a synonym of Primula henrici, a woody cushion species with bright rose flowers. No images exist of this species in the wild.

Thrana, above Cigu, location for Primula monbeigii

Straight west and just south of Mount Biluo is the Sila Pass, type location for Primula silaensis, a dainty pink relative of Primula amethystina.

Moving further west, past the town of Bingzhongluo ( 28° 0'57.97"N 98°37'23.26"E) located on the Salween river, rises Mount Kenyichunpo (approx. 5000m). Joseph Rock in 1926 explored its slopes and more recently in 2006 the southern slopes were explored by the Gaoligong Shan Biodiversity Survey around Chukuai lake.

Primula agleniana

This is a fairyland for Primulas! In the meadows grows several species including the stately Primula agleniana, in its white form, sometimes flushed rose, but always with deeply lacerate leaves. Primula biserrata (formerly P. serratifolia), is also here, with unusual flowers having petals with a distinct bar of orange-yellow running from the mouth of the tube to the tip of each petal and an outer edge of white. See image at top. Primula firmipes is also a meadow species.  It is a smaller relative of P. alpicola, The tidy oval leaves have a heart shaped base, the flowers are cream colored drooping bells. A sharp eye will spot Primula muscarioides. This species has a spike of purple-blue flowers on stems to 40cm and in this area the leaves may vary to almost cut-leaved.

Primula dryadifolia

The rocky habitats around the lake are also home to Primulas. Here we will find Primula dryadifolia forming mat-like cushions with dark rose flowers. Perhaps the rarest Primula species to be found here is P. triloba. It was first found north of Cizhong at Londre. The leaves are tiny 6-8mm, each with three lobes, but the plants form cushions 5-10cm across. The flowers are rose with a yellow eye and a hairy throat.

Other species that may be seen are the stunning red bells of Primula valentiniana, the dainty yellow Primula prenantha, and Primula lihengiana, a species recently described in 2009. With this area being little botanized there exists the possibility of seeing other exciting species and even new ones!

* For information purposes only, I am not affiliated with this company.

Pam Eveleigh © 2016

Read More

Field Book Project

Field books or notes (and field diaries) are documents written during field research about specimens collected and observations pertaining to those collections. For type collections in particular, they are invaluable as a primary source for understanding distinguishing characteristics, habitat and type locations. They serve a check to verify a herbarium specimen's provenance. 

A published field book by Kingdon Ward

Sometimes these books have been published, but unfortunately these documents are often hidden away in institutional libraries and archives and require special permission for access. As these documents are hand written, they can not be scanned and then interpreted automatically by using optical character recognition (OCR), rather, the interpretation must be done manually.

The good news is that there is a Field Book Project initiative under the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History to increase access to these types of documents in digital format. Recently they have teamed up with the Biodiversity Heritage Library to provide central access.

Two field books that have been digitized are of interest to Primula researchers, both by Joseph Rock.

Field book entry by Joseph Rock

The first is Joseph Rock's field book for collections No. 16001-18850 from NW Yunnan and SW Szechuan Multi and Konka in 1928-1929. The transcription of the book can be found here. In this book we can find the entry for the type collection of Primula rockii, No. 16451, which was named for Joseph Rock and was collected in the mountains of Kulu, Muli. Other collections of Primula rockii are Nos. 17401 and 17402, and No. 17885.

Primula rockii

The type entry for Primula cerina, No. 17702, found on the Djesi La (29°49'39.42"N 101°46'26.31"E) south of Kangding is also found in this book as is the type entry for Primula chlorodryas (now Primula dryadifolia subsp. chlorodryas), No. 17027, found on the Mekong-Salween divide and the type entry for Primula stenocalyx var. lueofarinosa (now considered a synonym of P. stenocalyx), No. 17520, found on the Minya Konka range and additional collection No. 17549.

Many other Primula entries can be found in the second of Joseph Rock's field book for collections No. 8035 - 9999 from NW Yunnan and SE Tibet in 1923. Other field books of Joseph rock exist but have not been digitized.

I certainly hope that other institutions start their own Field Book projects to bring these valuable sources of information to light.

Read More

Going around in circles - Primula minutissima, Victor Jacquemont, and Mangled Maps

Primula minutissima

It's my curiosity that not only keeps me interested in studying Primula species, but also leads me to exciting side trails of investigation. Such is the case of Primula minutissima, which I was researching yesterday. Looking at several sources of information, the distribution of the species is given as NW & W Himalayas. As this is a large area, I wondered where the type location was.  Most of the images in Primula World are from the area near Rupin, Nalgan and Hampta Passes in Himachal Pradesh. Looking to the original description in “Prodr. [A. P. de Candolle] 8: 42. 1844”, the location is given as “Ghanti India”. So where is that? Smith & Fletcher don’t mention the exact type location in their description of P. minutissima – only that the type sheet is in the Paris herbarium. Sometimes detailed collection information is given on the herbarium sheet, so I looked to sheets P04544185 and duplicate P04544180 to see if there were clues there. Nothing! According to Smith & Fletcher, Royle first collected this species in Kunawar in 1831, but Duby used Jacquemont’s collection #1537 to describe the species. So that started me down the path of investigation into Victor Jacquemont.

Victor Jacquemont - from Bibliotheque nationale de France

Victor Jacquemont was born in 1801, but sadly lived a short life, dying in 1832 at age 31. Despite his young age, he was part of the intellectual circles of Paris in the 1820’s and his botanical contacts included Adolphe-Théodore Brongniart who worked at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle and Adrien-Henride Jussieu who worked at the Jardin des Plantes. It was Pierre Louis Antoine Cordier from the Muséum who invited Jacquemont to India, which he accepted, departing in August 1828 and arriving in India nine months later in May 1829. He continued his travels to Delhi, arriving in March 1830, and then he headed north into the Western Himalaya. He made extensive collections and notes of plants (4787 entries at Paris) and animals, made drawings, recorded observations in geology, geography, meteorology and anthropology and famously wrote many letters to friends and family. In March 1832 he became ill and eventually succumbed eight months later on July 30th. Posthumously his notes, drawings and letters were published.

A search led me to Raj Kumar Gupta’s paper "Botanical explorations of Victor Jacquemont (1801-1832) (PDF)" which gives a description of Jacquemont’s life and which includes a simple map of his route in the Himalaya. Unfortunately there is no place marked “Ghanti”. Gupta says that after Jacquemont’s death his notebooks were received in three parts: V1 Calcutta to Delhi and the Himalayas Nos. 101-2528, V2 Punjab and Kashmir Nos. 1-1541, V3 Delhi to Bombay Nos. 1-818 and also a separate volume enumerating his notes on Hortus calcutensis. It is unfortunate that these original documents don’t seem to be online as the connection could be made from the collection number to a date and then location details in his diary. Maybe there is a clue in the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle booklet on Jacquemont (published in 1959), but it is not online either. 


Foiled by Google

With such fame, I thought it would be easy to find a map detailing Jacquemont’s route in the Himalaya, but it proved more difficult than I thought. I looked in the books of Jacquemont notes and letters published posthumously (listed below). In one book, I was able to find a mangled map. RANT – all very nice that old books are scanned by Google (and others), but maps are rarely unfolded and scanned so all we see is a tantalizing piece of a mangled map! Eventually I found a version of the book with the map scanned properly - but the map isn't of sufficient resolution to read the names.

That meant I had to look for other sources of maps from that time period. One of those sources is "The Jummoo and Kashmir Territories: A Geographical Account" by Frederic Drew but once again the maps were scanned in a mangled version. However, I was rescued by PAHAR, which keeps a digital dataset of old maps, specifically those from the Indian subcontinent, pre 1899. Drew's maps didn't help, but the 1874 map "Route Map For Western Himalayas and N India by Montgomerie" was promising but too complex to read. Another map included in "Victor Jacquemont dans l'Himalaya (1830-1831)" by Emm. de Margerie has a map of Jacquemont's route in Kashmir (page 402) but it isn't of high enough resolution to view.

The Buspa Valley from Sungla by Samuel Bourne 1865

Going back to the Jacquemont books, I was able to find references to "Bouroune-Ghanti", variations on the name's spelling - Bouroune, Bourando or Burunda, and where it was located. Some more searching led me to the earlier spelling of "Boorendo" and the paper "Narrative of a journey from Caunpoor to the Boorendo Pass" by Lloyd and Gerard and a simple map showing the pass connecting the Pubbur (Pabar) and Buspa (Baspa) river valleys. Now it all becomes clear and I find I have travelled in a circle...we are at Rupin Pass! According to Montgomerie's map Burunda and Rupin passes may lie side by side, possibly with Burunda at 31°23'15.44"N  78° 8'43.83"E and Rupin at  31°21'7.21"N  78° 9'18.02"E.

Of course, that's what I discovered yesterday. Perhaps more information will come to light another day...
 

1.  Correspondance de V. Jacquemont avec sa famille et plusieurs de ses amis: pendant son voyage dans l'Inde, 1828-1832 (various editions).
2. Letters from India: describing a journey in the British dominions of India
3. Voyage dans l'Inde.

Read More

Thailand - Pagodas, Beaches, Pad Thai ... and Primulas

Primula siamensis

My holiday experiences in Thailand include golden pagodas, sandy beaches, elephant rides and tasty food. It isn't a place particularly noted for Primulas, but they do grow there. In the northern part of the country, near the popular tourist destination of Chiang Mai, is Doi Chiang Dao, a peak of 2,175m (7,136ft), and the home of the first Thai species described in 1922 as Primula siamensis. This is a really lovely species, growing in limestone crevices, with wide open flowers of violet-blue.


Doi Chiang Dao by Adam Baker

Nearby is Doi Inthanon, the highest mountain in Thailand at 2,565m (8,415ft). The top 700m is the habitat for Primula intanoensis. This is a curious species, part of the little known Carolinella section, with small white flowers, round leaves and calyptrate seed capsules (the capsules don't split into 5 valves as most other species do, but rather have a lid which lifts to expose the seeds). It was mistakenly re-described from the same collections by C.M.Hu as P. larsenii.

Primula caulifera P00649638, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris 

A third species is even more unusual. It is Primula caulifera and it is found further to the south at Tunkamang in the Chaiyaphum district at only 800m elevation. This species doesn't look like a Primula at all, having no basal rosette and a long stem with alternate leaves. The small rose colored flowers are borne on whorls (tiers).

Primula forbesii subsp. forbesii

The last species found in Thailand is an extension of the geographical distribution of Primula forbesii subsp. meiantha. This was initially described as Primula meiantha from Burma, but it was found on Doi Chiang Dao in 2002 and 2005 though a subsequent search in 2009 failed to locate this species again. It is similar to P. forbesii subsp. forbesii (familiar to many as a popular houseplant) but with smaller flowers.

If you are going to Thailand and visit these places, I would be interested in images of these species.

Pam Eveleigh © 2016

Read More