Impatiens polyantha Gilg

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Kaperepeza road, Nyika National Park

Photo: Bart Wursten
Lake Kaulime, Nyika National Park

Photo: Petra Ballings
Lake Kaulime, Nyika National Park

Photo: Bart Wursten
Lake Kaulime, Nyika National Park

Photo: Bart Wursten
Chozi View Point, Nyika National Park

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Synonyms:	Impatiens brachycentra G.M. Schulze & Launert Impatiens obscure-rosacea Gilg Impatiens richardsiae Launert
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Upright or straggling perennial herb, up to 80 cm high with stems hairless or rarely sparsely pubescent when young. Leaves spirally arranged, sessile or very shortly petiolate, oblong-lanceolate, rarely elliptic or oblanceolate, 3·5–9 cm long, hairless on both surfaces, or rarely sparsely pubescent, lateral veins 8–12 pairs, somewhat prominent beneath; margin crenulate-denticulate. Flowers axillary, single or 2-5 together on a very short peduncle, white or pale pink; bracts lanceolate-triangular, up to 6 mm long; pedicels 2-5.5 cm long, slender, usually hairless. Lateral sepals ovate to ovate-triangular, 6–10 mm long, acute or shortly apiculate, usually hairless; lower sepal 12-20 mm long and 5-11 mm deep, funnel-shaped in and abruptly constricted into a short spur, distally very acute; spur 6–10 mm long, straight, curved or slightly incurved, usually slightly swollen at the tip, hairless or more or less pubescent. Dorsal petal 9–15 mm long (unflattened), helmet-shaped, with a dorsal crest up to 3 mm wide; lateral united petals up to 31 mm long, deeply 2-lobed, hairless; lower lobe transversely oblong, 10–16 mm long; upper lobe c. 3/4 the size of the lower one, transversely oblong or semi-elliptic. Ovary usually hairless. Capsule broadly fusiform 12-18 mm long hairless or somewhat hairy towards the apex.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	polyantha: many-flowered.
Habitat:	In moist open grassland or in thickets, along forest margins, river banks and roadsides.
Altitude range:	1400 - 2600 m
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Southern Tanzania, Zambia and Malawi.
Malawi distribution:	N
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:	Near Endemic
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Thursday 3 October 2019
Literature:	Baumann, G. (2005). Photographic Guide to Wildflowers of Malawi Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi Pages 64 - 65. as Impatiens richardsiae (Includes a picture). 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). Exell, A.W., Fernandes, A. & Wild, H. (eds.) (1966). Additions and corrections Flora Zambesiaca 2(2) Page 632. as Impatiens richardsiae Grey-Wilson, C. (1980). Impatiens of Africa A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam Pages 171 - 172. (Includes a picture). Launert, E. (1963). Balsaminaceae Flora Zambesiaca 2(1) Pages 170 - 171. As Impatiens brachycentra 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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Flora of Zambia: Impatiens polyantha

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African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Impatiens polyantha
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Impatiens polyantha
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Impatiens polyantha
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Impatiens polyantha
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Impatiens polyantha
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Impatiens polyantha
JSTOR Plant Science: Impatiens polyantha
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Impatiens polyantha
Plants of the World Online: Impatiens polyantha
Tropicos: Impatiens polyantha
Wikipedia: Impatiens polyantha