Vojtěch Holubec and David Horák in Tibet 2024

Introduction

Vojtěch Holubec and David Horák are working on the book: Flowers of Historical Tibet (Tibet-Qinghai Mountain Plateau). The area covers current Tibet/Xizang and mountainous parts of Qinghai, Sichuan and Yunnan. The authors have already collected a lot of picture material of the region, except the western part of Tibet which is very rarely visited by travelers because of the distance from Lhasa and many restrictions and limitations to enter. The authors doubt if any rock gardeners or plant people have ever visited the region except for historical botanical expeditions.
The authors planned the journey already 4 years ago, but COVID pandemy and later the closing of China caused postponing it. The authors proposed the route and sent it to the travel agent in Lhasa. The agent Sonam agreed on most of the route except parts forbidden to foreigners.
The price of the travel appeared to be very high. Therefore, the authors applied for partial support by the Canadian Ontario Rock Garden & Hardy Plant Society, a Chapter of NARGS. The Chapter will be acknowledged among sponsors of the book. In addition, the authors promised to provide travel notes with pictures to the website of the Chapter.

The planned and undertaken route 4518 km across western Tibet, the highest point 5442m, the lowest point 3582 m.

I. 2000 kilometers across Tibet to see the Kailas Mt.

The longest part of the journey came across dry mountain steppes in average height 4500 m a.s.l. The land is sometimes brightened up with many lakes of very special kind of blue colour. Very scarce wet places around the rivers or streams are most frequently full of yellow Pedicularis longiflora. Frequent dominants of semi-dry areas were except grasses Dasiphora fruticosa, Androsace tapete, Arenaria, Ajania or Artemisia species. The roads are very frequently accompanied by masses of Aster flowers and provide good view to herds of yaks, wild donkeys and antelopes.

The authors with the driver Darla (in the middle): David (left) and Vojtech (right)

Arid countryside inland W Tibet painted with iron minerals

Aster sp. of which millions of plants in bloom are present over arid regions in W Tibet

Ajania fruticulosa covers vast arid plains of W Tibet. It is characterized by sharp chamomile scent.

Mt. Kailash, 6638 m, The sacred mountain of three religions (Buddhistic, Hindu, Nepal Lamaistic), the aim of travel for pilgrims. The mountain is very extraordinary by its beautiful rounded shape different from surrounding mountains, texture of horizontal layers of sedimentary rocks and in addition, by several paranormal phenomena.

Badlands with soil pyramids in the valley towards Zamda/Thoding

Digged shelters in soil pyramids under Guge castle near Zamda

Mountain goats grazing sparse grasses and Ajania fruticulosa on the pass above Zamda

Antelops grazing sparse plants in plains around 4500 m

Wild donkeys are protected by law in Tibet

Cushions of Androsace tapete dispersed in rocky steppe. There is a high diversity in size of rosettes and hairiness of leaves and therefore cushions are silvery grey to green

Ephedra monosperma in dry sedimentary rocks keeps a very low habit

Arenaria sp., one of the most common cushions in mountain slopes and passes

Dracocephalum heterophyllum grows from dry steps to mountain passes. It grows from Himalaya over Tibet to Central Asia

Bridge over Jifu Canyon, 150 m deep, Nyalam near Nepali border. The landscape is very quickly changed in the closeness of Nepali border from very dry to very moist. The area is covered by forest of spruces and firs guarded by grey-brown monkeys.

II. High mountains passes of western Tibet

Alpine passes of about 5000 m a.s.l. in Himalayas are not as rich as that of Yunnan or SE Tibet but still it is possible to find many nice and extraordinary plants. Screes full of sharp stones host many Saussurea species or Waldheimia glabra. Iconic Eriophyton wallichii is widespread and has tendency to behave like ruderal plant. In rocks it is possible to find some Saxifraga or Androsace species. In more dry and stony places Incarvillea younghusbandii is widespread.

Passes ca 4700 m are often decorated by praying flags

Dasiphora fruticosa, dominates very frequently on passes over 4500 m. It is very low, ground covering above 5000 m.

Microula tibetica. Miniature flowers congested in prominent heads, occur occasionally in screes

Saussurea sp. The low decorative patches are widespred in wetter sites and can be found also in roadsides.

Stellera chamaejasme, forms beautiful bouquets with both purple and nearly white flower tubes, growing on rocky meadows ca 4700 m

Karo La – Galashia pass is marginated by snowy mountains over 6000 m

Thylacospermum caespitosum on screes dominates above 5000 m. It is widespread from Central Asia over Pamir, Tibet to Himalaya

Arenaria glanduligera, with pink to white flowers grows in rather wet places, on stream banks in screes

Saxifraga tangutica, one of the most decorative species of the Ciliatae section

Rheum spiciforme, is very decorative plant in fruits and petioles are good for rhubarb pie

Waldheimia glabra, very aromatic daisy is a typical plant of cold glacial moraines with no competition growing in the highest altitudes

Corydalis sp. forms prominent flowering spots on moving screes

Eriophyton wallichii, typical plant of screes in altitudes over 5000 m

Saussurea graminea- densely prostrate cushions with prominent sessile flowers

Saussarea gnaphalodes – a plant on the highest altitude on vegetation limit
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Saussurea tridactyla, occurs rarely in rough screes over 5000 m. It is collected by locals for medicinal use and it is sold by Tibetan native medicinal shops.

Saxifraga cf. brevicaulis – soft green Kabschia, leaves are without pores, growing in cold northern crevices

Delphinium chumulangaense, only 3-10 cm tall plant in screes over 5200 m

III. Qomolangma (Mt. Everest)

The main desire of each visitor to the western Tibet is to come to the highest peak of the world, Mt. Everest. This area is also interesting for plant people because it is possible to observe plants growing in the world highest altitude. From our experience 2016 we know this area is worth to visit also for alpine gardeners. Although, there are many widespread species like Dracocephalum heterophyllum, Androsace tapete or Lancea tibetica, several very special plants like Primula littledalei or Saxifraga doyalana is possible to find. From touristical point of view the accomodation and service below Mt. Everest has significantly changed in last 8 years.

Panoramatic view to Himalaya: Lhotse, Qomolangma, ChoOyu

Qomolangma from above the Base Camp

The Tourist Base Camp under Qomolangma (Mt. Everest) in 2024

The Tourist Base Camp under Qomolangma (Mt. Everest) in 2016

Lancea tibetica in sandy scree forms underground stolons. Extraordinary large and beautiful flowers decorate simple apparent rosettes

Saussurea schlagintweitii forms large patches in scree above the pass 5300 m

Draba cf. winterbottomii, miniature compact grey plant in scree

Saxifraga doyalana, growing only in the valley under Qomolangma towards the pass Doya La. The original herbarium material was collected by Everest Expedition in 1922, later described by Harry Smith in 1958. We are probably the only European plant people who have seen this Kabschia species in the nature after that time.

Androsace sp. (prepared to be described as A. doyalana) grows in rather dry rock crevices and rocky slopes. It is related to A. wardii and A. zayulensis

IV. Hills and mountains around Lhasa

Climate around Lhasa is generally more humid and milder. These conditions make good basis for presence of gentians like Gentiana veitchiorum or G. waltonii and Androsace bisulca var. brahmaputrae or Androsace graminifolia in higher altitudes. Lower altitudes are full of Corallodiscus kingianus on rocks with available water accompanied with similarly poikilohydric Selaginella species. In drier places Ceratostigma minus or Ceratostigma plumbaginoides makes nice blue compositions.