Impatiens monticola - Mountain Balsam

Mountain Balsam is an annual plant that reaches a height of 30 to 60 cm. The stem is robust and branched, with fleshy branchlets. The leaves are arranged alternately, with a leaf-stalk measuring 3 to 4 cm in length. The leaf blade is green, ovate-elliptic, measuring 4 to 12 cm by 3 to 4.5 cm, membranous, hairless on the underside, and bristly between the teeth, while the upper side is bristly. It has 5 to 7 pairs of lateral veins, a wedge-shaped base, and a margin that is rounded and toothed-sawtoothed, tapering to a point. Inflorescences consist of 2 to 3 flowers located in the upper leaf axils; the flower-cluster stalks are longer than the leaf stalks, measuring 2 to 3 cm, and elongate during fruiting. The flower stalks are 1 to 2 cm long and bracteate at the base; the bracts are persistent, green, and lance-shaped, approximately 4 mm in length. The flowers range from orange to pale yellowish and are about 3.5 cm in size. There are two lateral sepals that are green, round, and measure 6 to 10 mm by 5 to 8 mm, membranous, and have 3 to 5 veins. The lower sepal is boat-shaped, with a limb approximately 1.5 cm deep, narrowing into an incurved spur; the spur is reddish-orange striped, about 1.5 cm long, and slender, with a mouth measuring 1.5 to 2 cm that tapers at the tip. The upper petal is round, about 1.5 cm in size, and cuspidate at the tip; the lateral united petals are not clawed, measuring around 2 cm, and are two-lobed, with the basal lobes being nearly round and small, while the distal lobes are larger and blunt at the tip. The filaments are fibrous, approximately 5 mm long, and the anthers are ovoid and blunt at the tip. The ovary is linear. The capsule is erect and spindle-shaped, measuring 2 to 2.5 cm. The seeds are numerous, brownish-yellow, oblong, and about 3 mm in size. Mountain Balsam is typically found in forest margins, shaded moist areas, and along roadsides in China and Northeast India, at altitudes of 900-1800 m. Flowering: June-September.