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Synonyms: |
Impatiens prainiana sensu Launert non Gilg. |
Common names: | |
Frequency: | |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
A tall, much-branched shrubby perennial, up to 2·2 m high or more; stems up to 3·8 cm. in diam., pale green flecked with brown, usually hairless. Leaves spirally arranged, more or less broadly elliptic to ovate, 5·5–15 cm long, bright green above, greyish-green beneath, thinly textured, hairless on both surfaces or very shortly hairy beneath when young; margin crenulate-denticulate; petiole mostly 2–6 cm long, usually hairless. Flowers in lax open racemes, very showy, white with reddish marks at the base of the lateral petals; peduncle 7–20 cm long, hairless or very sparsely hairy; bracts, elliptic or ovate, 6–9 mm long, usually hairless, persistent; pedicels up to 3·3 cm long, usually hairless, somewhat fleshy. Lateral sepals 2, ovate-oblong, up to 10 mm long and 4 mm wide, hairless or very shortly hairy; posterior sepal 2·25–2·8 cm long and c. 1·5 cm deep, obliquely-funnel-shaped, gradually tapering into a slender spur 7–10 cm long, usually incurved, rarely straight, slightly thickened at the end. Lateral united petals 3·5–4·5 cm long, deeply 2-lobed, hairless; anterior lobe broadly oblique-obovate, up to 3 × 3 cm or more; posterior lobe much smaller, obovate-oblong to obovate, c. 7·5 × 6 mm. Capsule fusiform, broader in the upper half, 2–3 cm long, apex more or less beaked, hairless. |
Notes: | |
Derivation of specific name: | |
Habitat: | In forest patches along gullies and streams or along roadsides in forest, usually in damp shady places. |
Altitude range: | 1750 - 2250 m |
Flowering time: | Nov - May |
Worldwide distribution: | Southern Tanzania, northern Malawi and Zambia (Nyika only). |
Malawi distribution: | N |
Growth form(s): | |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Literature: |
Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 115. (Includes a picture). Grey-Wilson, C. (1980). Impatiens of Africa A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam Pages 154 - 158. (Includes a picture). Launert, E. (1963). Balsaminaceae Flora Zambesiaca 2(1) Page 166. As Impatiens prainiana Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 35. |
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