Impatiens miniata Grey-Wilson

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

Habit

Straggling perennial herb 0.5–1.5 m. tall; stems moderately branched, often rooting at the lower nodes, sparsely or densely pubescent towards the apex, glabrescent below.

Leaves

Leaves spirally arranged; petiole 8–23 mm. long; lamina ovate or elliptic, 2–6 cm. long, 1.2–3.5 cm. broad, the apex acute or shortly acuminate, the base ± abruptly cuneate, pubescent on both surfaces; lateral veins 7–9 pairs; margin crenate-denticulate or serrulate, with several, ± 1 mm. long, fimbriae at the base.

Flowers

Flowers solitary or in pairs, spur bright red or scarlet, petals pale yellow or green.

Bracts

Bracts linear-lanceolate, basal, 1–2 mm. long, inconspicuous.

Pedicel

Pedicels 1.8–5.5 cm. long, slender, pubescent.

Calyx

Lateral sepals linear-lanceolate or narrowly triangular, 4–6 mm. long, acute, sparsely pubescent or glabrous. Lower sepal narrowly bucciniform, 5–10 mm. long, gradually tapering into an incurved spur, 17–21 mm. in length overall, the tip rounded, glabrous or sparsely pilose in the lower half.

Corolla

Dorsal petal 5–8 mm. long, 3–6 mm. broad, cucullate, dorsally shallowly crested, the crest terminating in a short acute point. Lateral united petals 6–9 mm. long, the upper petal somewhat larger than the lower; upper petal ovate or oblong, 4–5 mm. long, 3–5 mm. broad; lower petal oblong, 3–4 mm. long, 3–4.5 mm. broad.

Ovary

Ovary glabrous.

Fruits

Fruit narrowly fusiform, 9 mm. long and 2 mm. broad.

Figures

Figs. 4/64, p. 8; 10, p. 67.

Habitat

In moist, deeply shaded, montane forest, sometimes on forest fringes or in bamboo thickets; 2850–3700 m.

Distribution

known only from Mt. Elgon K3 U3