Impatiens bracteolata Hook.f.

Smets, E. F. & Janssens, S. B., 2018, Balsaminaceae of Myanmar, Blumea 63 (3), pp. 199-267 : 227-228

19. Impatiens bracteolata Hook.f. — Map 9

Impatiens bracteolata Hook.f.(1905) 31; Fedde (1905) 433. — Type: Hooker & Thomson s.n. (lecto, designated here K K000694724), Bangladesh, Khasia Hills, alt. 5000 ft

Terrestrial, annual herb, up to 30 cm tall. Stem erect, slender, simple to moderately branched, glabrous. Leaves spirally arranged. Petiole absent– 20 mm long, glabrous. Lamina 80–210 by 35–90 mm, ovate to elliptic, apex acuminate, base cuneate to attenuate, margin serrate to crenate with teeth, glabrous, with

Fig. 14 Impatiens prainii Hook.f. a. Habit; b. lateral view of flowers; c. pedicels and ovaries; d, e. lateral sepals; f, g. lower sepals; h–j. dorsal petal; k, l. lateral united petals. — Drawn by Saroj Ruchisansakun.

1 or 2 pair(s) of glands near leaf base; lateral veins 6–8 pairs. Inflorescence axillary to subterminal, 8–9(–16)-flowered raceme. Peduncle 60–80 mm long, glabrous. Rachis 15–55 mm long. Flowers 15–20 mm long, 15–27 mm deep, asymmetric, yellow. Bracts c. 2–4 by 1 mm, lanceolate to elliptic, apex acute to acuminate, base cuneate, margin entire, glabrous, persistent. Pedicel 12–18 mm long, glabrous. Lateral sepals 2, 3–3.5 by 1–2 mm, free, obliquely broadly lanceolate to obliquely ovate, apex acute to acuminate and aristate, base oblique, glabrous. Lower sepal 6–9 mm long, 18–23 mm deep including spur, deeply navicular, apex acute and mucronate, tapering into a straight or upcurved spur, 16 mm long. Dorsal petal 6 mm long, elliptic, apex mucronate, base obtuse, abaxial midvein simple or with a narrow crest. Lateral united petals c. 20 mm long, free. Stamens: filaments c. 3.5 mm long. Ovary c. 3.5 mm long, glabrous. Fruits linear, glabrous. Seeds unknown.

Phenology — Unknown.

Distribution — Myanmar (Kachin State), Bangladesh.

Ecology — 1500–1600 m altitude.

Other collections examined. MYANMAR, Kachin State, Toppin 2678 (K H2015/00092 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117; SING0150195; SING0150196; SING0150197), near Sinlum; Armstrong et al. 1337 (NY2649163*), Putao district , Naungmung Township , Hkakabo Razi National Park , between Shin- gsankhu rest house and Golle village , 27.6529° 97.8943°,alt. 891 m, 9 Nov. 2015 .

Notes — Impatiens bracteolata is very similar to I. angustiflora but differs in having ovate or elliptic leaves (never lanceolate). It is also similar to I. siculifer but does not have a strongly upcurved spur, and the lower sepal does not have a long-awned apex.

Hooker did not clearly designate a type specimen of I. bracteolata . We found two sheets of Hooker & Thomson s.n., K000694724 and K000694725, in the Kew Herbarium, which were annotated as Impatiens bracteolata . The specimen K000694724 exactly matches the protologue ( Hooker 1905), so we select it as lectotype. This species used to be part of Impatiens angustiflora Hook.f. (1875) 481.