Common name: Handsome Flowered Balsam, Western hill balsam • Marathi: ढाल तॆरडा Dhal-terda
Botanical name: Impatiens pulcherrima Family: Balsaminaceae (Balsam family)
True to its name, Handsome Flowered Balsam is one of the finest of the
Indian Balsams. It is an annual herb, 40-60 cm tall, with erect succulent
stems, swollen at nodes. Alternately arranged elliptic membranous leaves
are 7-12 cm long. Leaf margins are serrated, and the leaft stalk is 2-4 cm.
Flowers occur in leaf axils, on stalks 5-8 cm long, 2-3 together. Violet
purple flowers are 4-5 cm across. Standard petal is round, notched, spurred
at the back. Wing petals are broad. Lip is short, boat-shaped. Spur is long
and curved. Capsules 1.5 cm long. Occurs on slopes of forested hills above
1000 m. Unlike other balsams, this one is not geragrious. Flowering: August-October.
| Photographed in Alibag, Maharashtra. |
Identification credit: Pravin Kawale
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