BALSAMINACEAE
Morphological description
Fleshy herbs; stem with swollen nodes; exstipulate.
Leaves
Leaves spiral, dentate, simple, penninerved.
Flowers
Flower bisexual zygomorphic, posterior sepal spurred; ovary superior, 5-locular, ovules many.
Fruits
Fruit a fleshy explosively dehiscing capsule; sometimes a non-dehiscent berry (Hydrocera).
Different from: Sterile Balsaminaceae may be mistaken for Begoniaceae, but these are stipulate, the leaves usually strongly asymmetric.
Distribution: The family is confined to Asia and Africa. In Malesia 3 genera,
including:- Impatiens (Old World, widespread), herbs of lowland and montane rain forest, often on limestone.
Notes: Several exotic species of Impatiens are cultivated as ornamentals. Some of the indigenous species also have ornamental potential.
Literature: Ch. Grey-Wilson, Kew Bull. 34 (1980) 661-688; 44 (1989) 67-106; T. Shimizu, S.E. As. Stud. 8 (1970) 187-217.
Spot characters (Van Balgooy): Impatiens 2, 16, 46. Swollen stems: Impatiens (p.p.) – Swollen nodes: Impatiens – Whorled/verticillate leaves: Impatiens – Dentatet/serrate leaf margin: Monomorphic(zygomorphic) flower: Impatiens – Yellow perianth or corolla: Impatiens (p.p.), e.g., Impatines oncidioides.
Illustrations: Fig. 27. Impatiens mirabilis Hook. f. (Balsaminaceae). Reproduced from M.R. Henderson, Malayan wild flowers, Dicotyledons (1949/51, repr. 1974) 52. With kind permission of the Malaysian Nature Society. Fig. 28. Impatiens platypetala Lindl. (Balsaminaceae). Reproduced from C.A. Backer & D.F. van Slooten, Geïllustreerd Handboek der Javaansche Theeonkruiden (1924) t. 168.
Images in PhytoImages for Balsaminaceae.