Impatiens assurgens Baker

Balsaminaceae, C. Grey-Wilson. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1993

Morphology General Habit

Annual or perennial 10–60(–80) cm. tall, with simple erect or few-branched stems arising from a crown subtended by a number of fleshy thong-like roots; stems glabrous or pubescent on the younger parts; rootstock with fleshy thong and fibrous roots.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves opposite, rarely ternate, often crowded toward the tops of the stems, sessile or subsessile, the petiole, when present, not exceeding 4–5 mm. in length; lamina oblong, ovate, lanceolate to elliptic or suborbicular, 1.5–6.5(–9) cm. long, (0.2–)0.4–2.2(–2.5) cm. broad, the lower ones often broader and shorter than the upper, usually chartaceous, the base rounded, sometimes subcordate, the apex acute to subobtuse, sometimes ± acuminate, glabrous or pubescent to sometimes almost lanate on both surfaces; margin shallowly serrulate-denticulate to serrate; lateral veins 5–9 pairs, obscure.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers solitary or in axillary fascicles of 2–3, epedunculate, white, pale pink or mauve, often with an orange-yellow spot on each lateral united petal towards the base, spur often reddish towards the tip.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts

Bracts lanceolate-triangular to subulate, 1–2 mm. long, inconspicuous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel

Pedicels 3.3–6.5 cm. long, glabrous or pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Lateral sepals ovate-lanceolate, 3–6 mm. long, 1–2 mm. broad, acute, glabrous. Lower sepal obliquely navicular, 10–12 mm. long, 5–8 mm. deep, ± abruptly constricted into a 3–10 mm. long straight or slightly curved spur, usually tapered to a fine tip, glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Lateral united petals 15–28 mm. long; upper petal oblong, obovate or oval, 7–9 mm. long, 5–7 mm. broad, entire, about one-third to a half the size of the lower; lower petal transversely and obliquely elliptic, 9–15 mm. long, 6–11 mm. broad, distally with a slight emargination along the inner margin. Dorsal petal 8–12 mm. long, 5–8 mm. broad (not flattened), cucullate, dorsally with a narrow crest terminating in a short point, usually glabrous, but sometimes slightly pubescent on the crest.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit fusiform, 9–15 mm. long, 3–5.5 mm. broad, glabrous.

Habitat

In moist shaded or often exposed places, particularly in upland grassland and bushland, but also along track and riversides and in open Brachystegia woodland; 840–2600 m.

Distribution

T1 T4 T7 T8

Balsaminaceae, E. Launert. Flora Zambesiaca 2:1. 1963

Morphology General Habit

Annual or perennial juicy herb (5) 10–60 (80) cm. high or more, usually erect; stems simple or little branched, glabrous or pubescent mainly on younger parts.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves opposite, rarely in threes, sometimes ± densely crowded on the upper part of the stem, sessile or shortly petiolate; lamina (1·5) 2·5–7 (10) × (0·3) 0·8–2 (3) cm., linear, lanceolate, ovate or elliptic to (rarely) subcircular, the lower ones often much broader than long and shorter than the higher ones, chartaceous or thinly chartaceous, usually glabrous but sometimes pubescent on both surfaces, dark green on the upper, greyish-green or glaucous on the lower surface, apex acute or obtuse, margins slightly crenate-denticulate, base cuneate to rounded or very rarely subcordate; petiole 0·2–0·5 cm. long, pubescent or glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers solitary, very rarely in pairs, axillary, usually white but sometimes white with yellow spots (raised honey guides) inside and a pinkish spur, pink or often with an orange throat; pedicel 2–5 (7) cm. long, glabrous or pubescent; bracts very short, lanceolate-triangular, acute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Lateral sepals 3–5 × 0·7–2 mm., lanceolate to broad-lanceolate (rarely triangular-lanceolate) usually glabrous; posterior sepal broadly and obliquely infundibuliform, 4–10 mm. deep (excluding the spur), up to 1·3 cm. in diam. at the mouth, abruptly constricted into the spur, distally acute; spur 4–10 mm. long, slightly incurved or more rarely straight, usually tapering into a fine point (see t. 26 figs. 2–3).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Anterior petal 8–12 × 8–12 mm. (when flattened), dorsally with a slender crest, glabrous or with a row of ± stiff white hairs on the crest; crest terminating in an acute or bluntish point. Lateral pair of united petals 15–20 (25) mm. long, deeply 2-lobed; anterior lobe 9–15 × 6–9 mm., transversely broadly oblique-obovate, rarely obtrapeziform; posterior lobe about 1/2 to 2/3 the size of the anterior one, oblique-obovate to broadly obdeltate (see t. 26 fig. 24).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule 0·9–1·5 cm. long, fusiform, glabrous or rarely sparsely hairy when young.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds numerous, c. 1·6 mm. in diam., broadly elliptic in outline, laterally slightly flattened, rusty or dark brown, with a densely papillose surface, glabrous.