Impatiens rosulata Grey-Wilson

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

Habit

Perennial with thin rather fleshy roots supporting a crown from which arises 1(–2) shoots; stem 3–8(–20) cm. long, mostly below ground, unbranched, supporting a rosette of leaves at or near ground level, glabrous or subglabrous.

Leaves

Leaves spirally arranged, but set close together with very reduced internodes (often not more than 1–2 mm. long), sessile or subsessile, lowermost leaves often smaller than the upper; lamina oblong to elliptic-oblong or oblanceolate, (4.5–)5.5–18 cm. long, (1.8–)2.5–6 cm. broad, the lower often relatively broader and shorter than the upper, the apex obtuse or subobtuse, the base gradually cuneate, glabrous or subglabrous above, finely pubescent on the midrib and veins beneath; lateral veins 7–13 pairs; margin shallowly serrate or crenate.

Flowers

Flowers solitary or in fascicles of 2–3, epedunculate, white or pale pink, the lateral united petals with a yellow boss toward the base in the throat of the flower, the upper lateral petals with a reddish blotch in the centre, the lower sepal generally veined with pink or red.

Bracts

Bracts lanceolate, 2–3 mm. long, acute, inconspicuous.

Pedicel

Pedicels 3.2–9.8 cm. long, slender, finely pubescent or subglabrous, ascending in flower but drooping in fruit.

Calyx

Lateral sepals broadly ovate or cordate, 4.5–8 mm. long, 4–6.5 mm. broad, the apex shortly apiculate. Lower sepal navicular, 12–16 mm. long, 5–7 mm. deep, abruptly constricted into a very short 0.75–2 mm. long filiform blunt vestigial spur.

Corolla

Dorsal petal 15–20 mm. long, 10–19 mm. broad, cucullate, dorsally with a narrow crest terminating in a short subacute point. Lateral united petals 23–38 mm. long, the upper of each pair about one-third the size of the lower; upper petal ± oblong, 10–18 mm. long, 5–12 mm. broad; lower oval or suborbicular, 17–28 mm. long, 15–23 mm. broad, with an emargination along the inner margin towards the top.

Ovary

Ovary glabrous.

Fruits

Fruit fusiform, 16–20 mm. long, 3.5–6 mm. broad, glabrous.

Figures

Figs. 3/49, p. 6; 9.

Habitat

In open situations in upland grassland, generally in short turf of meadows and banks in undisturbed sites, occasionally on the margins of pine plantations; 2100–3100 m.

Distribution

T7 known only from the Kitulo Plateau