Impatiens meruensis Gilg

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

Habit

Decumbent to erect perennial herb to 1 m. tall, though often less, sometimes ± scrambling over supporting vegetation; stems simple to moderately branched, often rooting at the lower nodes, pubescent, usually densely so when young, but gradually glabrescent.

Leaves

Leaves spirally arranged; petiole 0.4–6 cm. long, slender, generally glabrescent, often with several 1–2 mm. long fimbriae towards the top; lamina ovate to ovate-lanceolate, lanceolate or ± elliptical, (2–)2.5–11 cm. long, 1.3–5.5 cm. broad, the base somewhat attenuate, the apex acuminate; pubescent on both surfaces, usually densely so when young; lateral veins 5–11 pairs; margin finely crenate-dentate, the lowermost teeth usually filiform, 1–2 mm. long.

Flowers

Flowers solitary or in fascicles of 2(–3), epedunculate, pale to deep pink or ± mauve, the upper petal of each lateral united pair with a magenta or purplish elongate blotch towards the base.

Bracts

Bracts subulate, ± 1–3 mm. long, pubescent, inconspicuous.

Pedicel

Pedicels 3.2–7.7 cm. long, slender, pubescent, rarely glabrescent.

Calyx

Lateral sepals linear, 4–6 mm. long, pubescent. Lower sepal obliquely and narrowly navicular, 8–12 mm. long, abruptly constricted into a 12–47 mm. long curved filiform spur, usually pubescent at least in part.

Corolla

Dorsal petal suborbicular to obovate, 7–17 mm. long, 8–22 mm. broad, emarginate, dorsally with a narrow crest terminating in a short acute point. Lateral united petals 7–25 mm. long; upper petal of each pair oblong to narrowly obovate, 8–18 mm. long, 4–9 mm. broad, emarginate to entire; lower petal of each pair narrowly obovate, somewhat asymmetrically, 5–18 mm. long, 3–9.5 mm. broad, with a slight emargination distally, along the inner margin.

Ovary

Ovary glabrous.

Fruits

Fruit fusiform, 11–17 mm. long, 3–6 mm. broad, glabrous.