Impatiens acuminata - Meghalaya Balsam

Meghalaya Balsam is a perennial stout herb with simple stem, 15-45 cm high. Flowers are orange-red, 3.2 x 2.4 cm, bracts at base of flower-stalk, 1.0 x 0.8 cm, ovate to circular, blunt, concave, greenish brown. Lateral sepals are 2, asymmetrically boat-shaped with weak keel, tapering, orange-red outside, paler inside, 1.1-1.3 × 0.8-0.9 cm. Dorsal petal is showy, almost round, slightly hoodlike, 1.5 x 1.1 cm wide, orange-red, with whitish midrib, tip pointed to slightly with a short sharp point. Lower sepal is boat-shaped, abruptly narrowed into a slender incurved spur, orange-red, mouth of lower sepal with pointed tip, spur to 2 cm long. Lateral united petals bilobed, nearly equal, 2.5 cm long, orange-red; basal lobe kidney-shaped, 1.1 cm wide, with tip pointed; distal lobe nearly round, 1.6 x 1.1 cm, tip blunt; basal ear present, 1.5 mm long, rounded, pale. Stamens are 5, curved, up to 6 mm long; filaments light pinkish. Flowers are borne in 3-9 flowered racemes, carried on stout flower-cluster-stalk with red markings, 2-4 cm long. Flower-stalks are up to 1.8 cm long, hairless, reddish. Leaves are crowded mainly to the upper part of the plant, alternate; leaf-stalk 1.3-2.6 cm long, hairless, reddish; stipule absent. Leaves are thick and fleshy, lanceshaped, 10.0-12.5 cm long, 1.0-2.1 cm wide, hairless, green above, pale green beneath, base narrowly wedge-shaped, margin rounded toothed with slight bristles, tip with a tapering tail, lateral veins up to 6 pairs, nearly opposite. Capsules are reddish, spindle-shaped, up to 1.3 cm long. Meghalaya Balsam appears to be endemic to Meghalaya. Flowering: July-September.