Impatiens messumbaensis G.M.Schulze

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

Habit

Sparingly branched perennial herb to 1.5 m. tall; stems finely rusty-pubescent when young, becoming subglabrescent below.

Leaves

Leaves spirally arranged; petiole (0.3–)0.8–6.5 cm. long, slender, finely pubescent; lamina lanceolate-elliptic to elliptic, 3.5–17.3 cm. long, 1.4–5.4 cm. broad, the apex gradually acuminate, acute, the base cuneate, finely pubescent above and beneath; lateral veins 9–14 pairs; margin serrate, the lowest teeth linear where the lamina merges into the petiole and usually ± 1–1.5 mm. long.

Inflorescences

Inflorescence a 5–9(–many)-flowered axillary subumbellate raceme; flowers rose-pink.

Peduncles

Peduncle (18–)22–40 mm. long, slender, finely pubescent, ± erect.

Bracts

Bracts linear-subulate, 2–3 mm. long, acute.

Pedicel

Pedicels 11–16 mm. long, finely pubescent.

Calyx

Lower sepal shallowly and obliquely navicular, 5–8 mm. long, 2.5–3 mm. deep, abruptly constricted into a 13–32 mm. long curved filiform spur, finely pubescent throughout. Lateral sepals 2, narrowly triangular-lanceolate, 2–4 mm. long, acute, finely pubescent.

Corolla

Dorsal petal obcordate, 6–9 mm. long, 8–10 mm. broad, dorsally with a narrow crest, pubescent in the centre and along the crest. Lateral united petals 10–13 mm. long, with petals subequal in size and shape; upper petal narrow-obcordate or oval-oblanceolate, 9–10 mm. long, 4–5 mm. broad, entire or emarginate; lower petal narrowly obcordate or ± wedge-shaped, 8–11 mm. long, 4–5.5 mm. broad, entire or emarginate.

Ovary

Ovary glabrous.

Fruits

Fruit narrowly fusiform, ± 8 mm. long, 1.5 mm. broad, glabrous.