EXCURSION FIELD REPORT

GANGTOK AND DARJEELING

Submitted by

……………………………………..

TDC 4th Sem

Roll-………….. No.-…………………

Reg. no.- ………………………. Of 2016-17

S.S. College, Hailakandi, Assam

EXCURSION FIELD REPORT
GANGTOK AND DARJEELING

Submitted by

……………………………………..

TDC 4th Sem

Roll-………….. No.-…………………

Reg. no.- ………………………. Of 2016-17

S.S. College, Hailakandi, Assam

 Preface
Excursion is a deviation from normal routine activities confined
to classroom. The botanical excursion is an unavoidable part of the
education on the subject as it helps us in getting firsthand knowledge
of plants in the natural habitat and also to collect specimens of
various kinds for studies.

Botany is the branch of Science which comprehends the plants

from every point of view. It has been acknowledged as a vast and
comprehensive Science which is divided into various major fields.
Therefore, more theoretical knowledge of the subject is not
sufficient to know more and more of the Flora in its Natural habitats.
Hence, this excursion of the Bsc 2nd Year students to Gangtok and
Darjeeling for 8 days, under the guidance of our beloved teacher,
applause-worthy.

I have the great pleasure in presenting this excursion report

which we undertook in the above cited places. The excursion report
is accompanied by photographs of plant species which we have seen.
The plant species were named with scientific names.

In this excursion, I have tried to visualize the Phyto-

geographical features of visited areas.

Finally, I apologize to all concerned respective for unknowing

mistakes crept to report prepared by me.

Yours sincerely

….……………………..........

B.Sc. 2nd Year

 Acknowledgement
At first, I would like to thank all the respective of the
Department of Botany for arranging tour to Gangtok and Darjeeling
for B.Sc. 2nd Year students of session 2016-17.

I also heartily thank Dr. Taj Uddin Khan, HOD, Department of

Botany for acquainting with us to the excursion trip to success. I
would also like to thank my fellow classmates for their co-operation
during the trip.

Also, thanks to Md. Abdul Karim, Principal, S.S.College, for

according necessary permission to undertake this trip.

With Regards

…………………………………

B.Sc. 2nd Year

 Certificate

This report is about an excursion trip which was made at

Gangtok and Darjeeling from 18th to 26th December, 2016 under the
guidance of Dr. Taj Uddin Khan respectively.

Dr. Taj Uddin Khan

HOD, Department Of Botany

S.S. College, Hailakandi, Assam

 CONTENT

Sl. Topic
No.
1 Introduction
2 Aim of the Excursion
3 Synopsis of the Excursion Report
4 Description of the journey
1. Flower Exhibition Centre, Gangtok
2. Plant Conservatory, Gangtok
3. Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Darjeeling
4. Lloyd Botanical Garden, Darjeeling
5 Return of the Journey
6 Conclusion
 Introduction
Academic excursion plays a vital role in general education. It
helps to develop practical knowledge, outlook and personality of a
student.

The picture of the nature that we draw in our mind is based on

the textbooks. But, our knowledge would be made very purposeful
by practical field study through excursions which brings nature and
our imaginary picture closer. A complete knowledge of nature could
be revealed by two fold aspects; firstly, by going closer to nature i.e.
by making a field trip and secondly, by collecting and comparing
specimens of the recognized museum. The above task could be
fulfilled by visiting a place of Phyto-geographical diversity at close
proximity.

Thus, taking every aspect into consideration, an educational

excursion was arranged to Flower Exhibition Centre, Gangtok; Plant
Conservatory, Gangtok; Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park,
Darjeeling; and Lloyd Botanical Garden, Darjeeling. The selection of
these areas was made to study the Phyto-geographical features of
these areas. The association of the different species is a
characteristic feature of the areas visited.

Thus, it is the study of floristic status in a city area, what efforts

were extended to cope with the environmental pollution and what
type of plantation was done to stabilize the Phyto-geographical
balance of that locality.

Therefore, all these taken in Mind and in search of wider outlook

and better future correlated with the theoretical and practical
knowledge, educational excursion was organized.
 Aim of the Excursion

The aim of the filed study can be categorized into five basic points
as follows:-

1. To expose the students to Flora and Fauna pf Nature and to

create environmental awareness in them.
2. To enable the students to understand the functioning of the
ecosystem.
3. To understand and know about Phyto-geographical distribution
of the plant communities.
4. To understand diversities of the plant world and to get
acquainted with new and unknown varieties of the Plant
Kingdom.
5. Lastly, to bring into imaginary world built by textual studies.
 Synopsis of the Excursion Report

1. Places visited
a) Flower Exhibition Centre, Gangtok
b) Plant conservatory, Gangtok
c) Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Darjeeling

2. Duration of the Trip

18th to 26th December 2016

3. Participants
Honors and Pass Students of B.Sc. 2nd and 3rd year only

4. Supervisor
Dr. Taj Uddin Khan, HOD, Department of Botany
 Description Of the journey

On 19th December (Monday), 2016, we started our journey at

around 9:00 am from Hailakandi. Our contingent was of students
and 1 teacher. We reached Badarpur around 11:00 am and waited
for our train.

19th December: Journey by train from Badarpur to New Jalpaiguri

20th December: Journey by car from New Jalpaiguri to Gangtok

21st December: Flower Exhibition Centre and Plant Conservatory,

Gangtok

A beautiful tropical green house, the Flower Exhibition Centre,

Gangtok is a paradise for plant lovers and mainly for flower
enthusiast. The location is a beautiful stretch of green and is an
absolute treat to the eyes.

The exhibition centre has amazing collections of flowers,

orchids, ferns and ornamental leaves. But the best time is between
March to June when the Orchids are in full bloom and put on display.
All sections and flowering plants are labeled so that you know which
is what. There is a small footbridge over an artificial baby pool that
you can walk across. The place is ideal for great photography
amongst colorful flowers and shrubs. Here are list of the plants we
found:-

a) Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. Ex Klotzsch

Family- Euphorbiaceae
b) Trachycarpus fortune (Hook.) H. Wendl.
Family- Arecaceae
c) Paphiopedilum villosum (Lindl.) Stein
Family- Orchidaceae
d) Anthourium seozernium
Family- Araceae
e) Paphiopedilum hirsutissimim (Lindl. ex Hook.) Stein
Family- Orchidaceae
f) Coelogyne corymbosa (Lindl.)
Family- Orchidaceae
g) Cymbidium whiteae
Family- Orchidaceae
h) Cymbidium hybrids (Pink and Yellow)
Family- Orchidaceae
i) Vriesea sp.
Family- Bromeliaceae
j) Guzmania sp.
Family- Bromeliaceae
k) Monstera deliciosa (Liebn.)
Family- Araceae
l) Chrysanthemum sp.
Family- Asteraceae
 After that we went to Plant Conservatory, Gangtok. The Plant
Conservatory was established under JICA assisted Sikkim Biodiversity
Conservation & Forest Management project to create a recreational-
cum-conversational area near the capital. Here we found following
types of plants:-

a) Abies densa (Gebre salla)

b) Acer campbellii (Kapsey)
c) Alnus nepalensis (Utis)
d) Cryptomeria japonica (Dhuppi)
e) Daphniphyllum himalayense (Lal chandan)
f) Eurya acuminate (Sanu jhigni)
g) Exbucklandia populanea (Pipli)
h) Maesa rugosa
i) Magnolia doltsopa (Rani champ)
j) Magnolia lanuginosa (Phusrey champ)
k) Prunus cerasoides (Paiyun)
l) Rhododendron arboreum (Lali gurans)
m) Rhododendron grande ( Patley korlinga)
n) Rhododendron niveum ( Hiu patey gurans)
o) Rhododendron thomsonii (Gurans)
p) Symploccos glomerata (Kholmey)
q) Symploccos Kuroki (Kharaney)
r) Taxus baccata (Dhengre salla)
s) Viburnum erubescence (Asare)

We also visited Gonjang Monastery which is near Tashi View

Point and established in the year 1981. The founder is H.E. Tingkye
Gonjang Rimpoche. He was recognized as an incarnation of Yolmo
Terton Ngakchang Shakya Zangpo, a 15th century Nyingmapa Terton.
 The monastery follows Jangter tradition of Nyingmapa school of
Tibetan Buddhism. In the early 19th century, it was Rigzin Pema
Choephel who was also responsible for constructing the first ever
Gonjang Monastery at Tingkey, Tsang province which was named as
“Gonjang Samten Choephug”. Monk students study for nine years
and are taught all kinds of monastic stuff along with Tibetan
language and English. Their education includes comparative studies
of Indian and Tibetan Buddhist philosophy based on moral values.

22nd December 2016: Yume Samdong (Zero point), Gangtok

23rd December 2016: Journey by car from Gangtok to Darjeeling

24th December 2016: Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park and

Lloyd Botanical Garden, Darjeeling

At around 5:00 am, we went to see sunrise view from Tiger hill
which was so relaxing to watch and made our mind, body, and soul
fresh.

Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Darjeeling was opened

in 1958, and an average elevation of 7,000 feet (2,134 m), is the
largest high altitude zoo in India. It specializes in breeding animals
adapted to alpine conditions, and has successful captive
breeding programs for the snow leopard, the critically
endangered Himalayan wolf and the red panda. The zoo attracts
about 300,000 visitors every year. The park is named after Padmaja
Naidu (1900–1975), daughter of Sarojini Naidu. The zoo serves as the
central hub for Central Zoo Authority of India's red panda program
and is a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

The Darjeeling Botanical Garden preserves several species

of bamboo, oak, magnolia, arisaema, cotoneaster, wild geranium,
and rhododendron — forest native plants of the Darjeeling
Himalayan hill region, Sikkim region, and other neighbouring regions.
Also, several exotic plants are preserved.
The Cacti and Succulent collection of 150 species is displayed in
the Conservatory. The collection of native Orchids from the Singalila
Ridge in present-day Singalila National Park is rare and notable.
The Indian Botanical Garden Network's Garden code ascribed for this
garden is WB-DBG.
Here we found following kind of Flora:-

 Quercus spicata
 Camellia drupifera
 Eurya japonica
 Rhododendron arboreum
 Maesa rugosa
 Maesa chisia, Linn.
 Hedychium ellipticum
 Mahonia napaulensis
 Berberis umbellate
 Berberis insignis
 Zanthoxylum ovalifolium
 Jasminum primulinum
 Holmskioldia sanguinea
 Euonymus pendulud
 Nandina domestica
 Photinia integrifolia
 Spondias axillaris
 Taxus wallichiana
 Coelogyne flaccid
 Bulbophyllum leopardinum
 Cryptochilus lutea
Return of the Journey

We stared our return journey on the morning of 25th December

2016 from Darjeeling to New Jalpaiguri from where took the train for
Badarpur. We reached Badarpur on afternoon of 26th December
2016, and then Hailakandi at around 2:30pm.
 CONCLUSION
The study of natural science especially Botany invites knowledge
of field very much to make it meaningful. This is a stream of science
to be discussed outside in the minds of biological specimen. This is
one to be exemplified with the living ones, not with the models being
used in practice in other stream of physical science. Putting in short,
whatever we have studied from the book and heard from the
teachers is made lively when we are exposed to the field .

The plants taken as a whole, are the backbone of biosphere

nourishing various cycles of organic and inorganic compounds. There
are varied forms of plants in a place which reflected the richness of
biodiversity of the place.

The excursion gave me a collection of ideas of various plants and

other data and factors concerning environment of the plants.

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Dr. Taj Uddin Khan,

HOD, Department of Botany who guided and accompanied us to this
excursion.