Impatiens keilii Gilg

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

Habit

Epiphytic perennial, sometimes terrestrial, with a thin rhizomatous stock; stems thickened, simple or weakly branched, rooting at the lower nodes, glabrous.

Leaves

Leaves spirally arranged, congested towards the shoot apices; petiole 1.7–5 cm. long, usually with several ± 1 mm. long fimbriae towards the top; lamina ovate or lanceolate to elliptic, (3–)3.5–15.5 cm. long, 1.2–4.5 cm. broad, the apex acute to long-acuminate, the base shortly cuneate, glabrous or pubescent above, glabrous beneath; lateral veins 4–6 pairs; margin shallowly crenate.

Flowers

Flowers solitary or paired, epedunculate, the lower sepal and spur red, the petals pale green or yellowish.

Bracts

Bracts subulate, ± 1–1.5 mm. long, inconspicuous.

Pedicel

Pedicels 3–4.6 cm. long, slender.

Calyx

Lateral sepals linear-lanceolate, 1.5–2.3(–3) mm. long, acute, reflexed. Lower sepal 8–12 mm. long, 17–18 mm. deep, saccate, abruptly constricted into a narrow 8–10 mm. long incurved obtuse-tipped spur.

Corolla

Lateral united petals 9–10 mm. long; upper petal of each pair oblong-rectangular, 5–6 mm. long, 4–5.5 mm. broad, entire; lower petal oval, 3–5 mm. long, 2.5–3 mm. broad, entire. Dorsal petal 9–10 mm. long, 6–7 mm. broad, cucullate.

Ovary

Ovary glabrous.

Fruits

Fruit unknown.

Figures

Fig. 4/59, p. 8.