Impatiens percordata Grey-Wilson

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

Habit

Perennial or sometimes annual herb to 50–70 cm. tall; stems ± upright, simply or moderately branched, sparsely to densely glandular-pubescent, with 0.5–0.75 mm. long glandular hairs, especially towards the shoot apices.

Leaves

Leaves spirally arranged, rarely subopposite, rather thin, pale green veined and tinged crimson-purple beneath; petiole 1–4.5 cm. long, finely glandular-pubescent; lamina ovate to oblong-lanceolate or oblong, 5–12 cm. long, 3–6.5 cm. broad, the apex acute, sometimes ± acuminate, the base cordate, rounded or ± truncate; scattered pubescent above, with a few hairs on the midrib and main veins beneath; margin coarsely crenate-dentate to denticulate; lateral veins 5–11 pairs.

Inflorescences

Inflorescence a 3–6-flowered subumbellate raceme; flowers pink or violet.

Peduncles

Peduncle 5.5–8 cm. long, finely glandular-pubescent.

Bracts

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

Pedicel

Pedicels 16–20 mm. long, slender.

Calyx

Lower sepal obliquely and narrowly navicular, 7 mm. long, 5 mm. deep, abruptly constricted into a 20–45 mm. long, slender filiform somewhat coiled spur, sparsely glandular-pubescent throughout. Lateral sepals asymmetrically ovate, 2–2.5 mm. long, obtuse, glabrous.

Corolla

Lateral united petals 15–22 mm. long, unequal; upper petal oblong-oblanceolate, 9–15 mm. long, 2–5 mm. broad, with a slight emargination toward the tip along the upper margin; lower petal transversely ovate or oblong, 8–12 mm. long, 4–9 mm. broad, distally drawn out along the inner margin into a 5–8 mm. long, 2–4 mm. broad, ligulate appendage. Dorsal petal shallowly cucullate, ± 6 mm. long and 5 mm. broad, dorsally with a narrow crest.

Ovary

Ovary sparsely glandular-pubescent.

Fruits

Immature fruit narrowly fusiform, 8–9 mm. long, 3 mm. broad, sparsely glandular-pubescent.