Description:

• Soft, subsucculent, glabrous herbs; stems ± translucent, rarely woody at base; usually in damp, shady places
• Leaves opposite or alternate, rarely whorled or radical, simple, entire or variously toothed, usually petiolate; stipules 0
• Flowers bisexual, very irregular, resupinate, attractive, 1-many, on axillary peduncles, sometimes paniculate, sometimes peduncles clustered
• Sepals 3(-5), free, imbricate, 2 laterals flat, usually green, the lowermost petaloid, usually coloured, produced into a hollow spur or sac
• Petals 5, usually ± connate, anterior one largest, laterals 2-lobed
• Stamens 5; filaments free and linear below, broadened above and connate; anthers 2-thecous, large, elliptic, cohering to form a cap over ovary
• Ovary superior, 5-locular, with few to many ovules in each locule on axile placentas; style absent; stigma simple, sessile, 5-toothed or -lobed
• Fruit an explosively dehiscent loculicidal capsule, opening elastically into 5 twisted valves from placentiferous axis
• Seeds smooth or tubercled, glabrous or hairy; embryo straight; endosperm 0
• x = 7, 8, 10 (3, 5, 6, 9, 13) (polyploidy, B-chromosomes)

Nomenclature:

• Balsaminaceae
  • Grey-Wilson: 1 (1980)

Distribution & Notes:

• Global: Genera 2, species ± 850, cosmopolitan in tropical and subtropical climates
• Southern Africa: Genera 1, species 4

References:

• GREY-WILSON, C. 1980. Impatiens of Africa. Balkema, Rotterdam

Resources:

• Balsaminaceae genus: Impatiens