Singalila Trek
The Singalelah range, forming the political boundary between Sikkim and Nepal, spring from Kanchinjingna and extends southwards towards; the plains of Bengal. The Nepal frontier road terminates at the staging bungalow of Cheabhanjan,and from thence the only page available for marching in the Sheep path running onwards to the grazing ground which lie towards Dzongri. The only large trees existing in the country traveled over are Abies webbiana, Juniperus presuido- Sabina, and Juniperus recurva. The silver extended to 13,000 feet, the junipers to 15,000 feet. Where the former is only a small, stunted weather- worn tree, the others, a prostrate, intricately branched shrubs.
For many mile the path runs through woods of Rohododendros arboretum, R Cannabarinum, R. Falconeria, R. barbatum, R. Campanulatum, R. Hodgsoni, Acer Caudatum, Betula utilis, Pieris ovalifolia, Prunus rufa Pyrus foliolosa, P. marcophylla. &c. Here also are seen the last example of Bamboo tribes, Arundinaria sapthiflora ( so named so named from the spathe like sheaths on the division of its inflorescence ) and A. racemosa, not the large form so common at Tongloo and near Darjeeling, but a small variety nearly exceeding a height of three feet . |
