NEWS from 1999
 Bleddyn and Sue
'in the field' in
Northern Thailand.

Vietnam
Taiwan
Korea

Arisamaea sp.

Vietnam is well known as almost being wanting of Arisaema, so we were a little unprepared when we came across two that were new to us within the matter of an hour.

One which was still flowering, with digitate leaves arising from a rhizomatous root. One individual even had a good pink variegation on the leaf.

Common within the forest amongst these individuals, was what we are certain will be a major introduction. Disporum aff. tonkinense, which is usually a single strongly arching stem with one or two branches, to 1m tall. At that time there were clusters of blue fruit, where the terminal white bell flowers had been. The really curious thing about this plant was, that at this time of the year it would form a new plant at the upper tip, where conditions were favourable. A process that we had never encountered or read about previously, on any Disporum.

Looking back it was a magical little valley that we made our base-camp, with far too many goodies there to mention them all. There was a variable little tuberous Begonia, that must not go unmentioned. Only some 15cm tall with pleasing white flowers, it would literally glow in the dark with iridescent blue-green leaves, when we found it nestling in dark corners. Where as further out in the forest and in particular on large boulders and cliffs the rounded leaves were an apple green, suffused on their undersides with deep red in some forms.

From here we were able start on the first leg of the steep ascent for the summit area, a 200m vertical damp wall with only roots and branches to prize yourself up with. Then it worsened, to a smooth rounded belly of rock with pitifully few places to grip. This is where poor Dan was over come with vertigo, a condition I can sympathise with, especially when I'm about to grab hold of some rare seed at the top of a swaying tree. The look of disappointment on his face was painful.

The rest of us managed to scramble past this hurdle, to encounter more of the same. As the cloud never left us, maybe it was the lack of a clear view of where we might land if we were unfortunate enough to slip, that kept vertigo at bay. This mountain was not going to give up its treasures without a fight. The vegetation was changing all the while, as we ascended in relative haste. We were only given fleeting opportunities to collect from plants that only grew within a narrow altitudinal band of distribution. Such a plant was a Heloniopsis, which was far away from its normal range of distribution (now considering Ypsilandra yunnanensis as a possible id). Here too grew several Gesneriaceae species, clinging on in vertical crevices along with a Primula. Though my star find for that day was a Polygonatum, sharing its name with the Disporum., P. tonkinensis was to be found growing mostly as an epiphyte. A stunning little plant in the middle of that mountain gloom. Typically found on the lower branches of small trees, making the most of moss as a home.

Polygonatum tonkinensis

Their most striking feature at that time of the year, were their bright purple arching stems, still retaining their alternate leaves at the lower altitude. The red pendulous fruit was a welcoming site indeed.

The forest around us, was soon dominated by Rhododendron, forming those wonderful trees with decorative barks. This is where I yearned for Dan's exceptional knowledge of woody plants. We collected what we could, but soon ran out of time well before doing the area justice.

That was our first attempt, on our third we managed to drag poor old Dan up there. I say poor old Dan, because of the weather we encountered at the top. This time we had set up camp at the upper limit of the forest, before exploring the upper area of this inhospitable peak.

We were going great guns, finding Smilacina and Streptopus etc. when we emerged out of the tree line. It hit us like a train, a squall of great intensity, as one can so often experience at this altitude. (we were over 3000m ) The rain came down in buckets, it felt as if a fire hose was trained on us, especially with the force of that wind behind it. There was precious little shelter there so in time we had to retreat. And there we were trapped on top of this wonderful pile of botanical treasures cold and wet, concentrating on surviving hypothermia. Luckily we had gone well equipped, especially for our guides as we all had to snuggle into our tiny tent while the rain and wind lashed us unrelentlessly for the next day. The way down was of course slow and treacherous after all that rain, not that it managed to stop us collecting a few more trophies.

Back in Sapa...

We were a pitiful sight when we walked back into Sapa, fortunately we had had the opportunity to wash most of the mud off ourselves in the river, which had to be maneuvered en-rout. Never mind…. the beer went down all the better for it. Sheer luxury sleeping in a warm dry bed, that is until they started slaughtering pigs not far from our window. Along with the discovery that the rats had eaten into our store of mangoes.

That was only one of the sights we investigated during our stay in Vietnam. There were several more in that vicinity alone, all with their own foibles, leeches being the main contender. Lots and lots of the little darlings. Especially in the lower altitudes, where we secured some wonderful seed of Amorphophallus paeoniifolius. Along with some peculiar species of Aspidistra, Disporum and the most amazing Paris, P. hainanensis subsp. vietnamensis, one of the largest in the genus. Now that's what I call a high to finish on.

It took us a while to cross-over the culture shock of leaving the steady-eddy culture of Vietnam to concentrate on the whistle-stopping pace of Taiwan. It was Dan's first introduction to this proud Island nation......