寶興尋桂

Unidentified violet 1

Unidentified violet 2

Unidentified violet 3 (1)

Unidentified violet 3 (2)

寶興桂花（Osmanthus serrulatus）

An Osmanthus tree growing on the river bank

Attracted by China National Geography's report about the newly discovered wild osmanthus forest that extends tens of miles in Donglashan Canyon (東拉山大峽谷) in Baoxing (寶興) , I made a special trip there with hopes of being intoxicated by the fragrance of this sweetest-smelling flower.

After a weary prolonged ride by bus, minivan and motorbike, with an overnight stay in Baoxing township, I finally arrived at the starting point of the trails leading to two of the valleys with the highest concentration of osmanthus colonies: 趕羊溝 桂嬙溝

(To be continued)