Impatiens ceratophora H.F.Comber

Smets, E. F. & Janssens, S. B., 2018, Balsaminaceae of Myanmar, Blumea 63 (3), pp. 199-267 : 231-232

28. Impatiens ceratophora H.F.Comber — Map 11

Impatiens ceratophora H.F. Comber (1934) 245; W.J. Kress et al. (2003) 169; Y.L. Chen et al. (2007) 70. — Type: Forrest 9144 (holo K), Myanmar, upper Burma, descent from the Sansi gorge to the Sadon, lat. N25°20', alt. 2743 m, Sept. 1912.

Terrestrial, annual, glabrous herb, 60–100 cm tall. Stem erect, simple to sparsely branched. Leaves spirally arranged. Petiole absent– 40 mm long. Lamina c. 130 by 40 mm, lanceolate or elliptic-lanceolate, apex acuminate, base cuneate, margin crenate to serrate, adaxial dark green, abaxial pale green; lateral veins 8–11 pairs. Inflorescences axillary to subterminal, 8–20-flowered raceme. Flowers 15 mm long, 25 mm deep, yellowish with purple spots. Bracts c. 3 mm long, linear, persistent.

Map 11 Distribution of Impatiens sinlumiensis Grey-Wilson (●), I. clavicuspis Hook.f. ex W.W.Sm. (●) and I. ceratophora H.F.Comber (●).

Pedicel 10–20 mm long. Lateral sepals 2, obliquely orbicular, curved, apex acuminate or aristate. Lower sepal bucciniform, apex long cuspidate or aristate, distal part rapidly constricted into an incurved or involute, clavate spur. Dorsal petal orbicular, cucullate, abaxial midvein with narrow crest. Lateral united petals c. 25 mm, free: the upper petals, broadly ovate; the lower petals obliquely elliptic, apex acuminate. Stamens: filaments c. 5 mm long; anthers obtuse. Ovary glabrous. Fruits linear, c. 25 mm. Seeds unknown.

Phenology — Flowering: August to September; fruiting: August to September.

Distribution — Myanmar (Kachin State), China (Yunnan Province).

Ecology — Understory of mixed forests, along canals, moist places, 1700–2700 m altitude.

Other collections examined. CHINA, Forrest 9004 (para E E00120035), western flank of the Shweli-Salwin divide, lat. N25°20', alt. 8000–9000 ft (2440–2740 m), Aug. 1912 . – MYANMAR, Kachin State, Kingdon­Ward 7471 (K), valley of the Seingkhu , N28°8' E97°25', alt. 9000–10000 ft, 26 Sept. 1926 .

Note — Impatiens ceratophora is similar to I. clavicuspis but differs in having acute to acuminate bract apices vs long-awned apices.

Section Fasciculatae S.X.Yu & Wei Wang in Yu et al. (2015) 13