Impatiens mokimi Hook.f.

Smets, E. F. & Janssens, S. B., 2018, Balsaminaceae of Myanmar, Blumea 63 (3), pp. 199-267 : 241

42. Impatiens mokimi Hook.f. — Map 15

Impatiens mokimi Hook.f. (1905) 26; W.J. Kress et al. (2003) 170. — Type: Mokim s.n. (lecto, designated here K K000694787), Myanmar (Burma), upper Burma, Kachin Hills , 1897.

Map 15 Distribution of Impatiens oblongata Ruchis. & Niet (●), I. violiflora Hook.f. (●), I. mokimi Hook.f. (●) and I. allanii Hook.f. (●).

Annual herb, c. 16 cm tall. Stem erect, c. 1 mm diam, moderately branched, glabrous. Leaves spirally arranged but decussate at the two lowest nodes. Petiole 7–9 mm long, glabrous. Lamina 30–42 by 8.5–10 mm, narrowly elliptic, apex acute, base attenuate, margin serrate, adaxial pilose to densely pilose, abaxial glabrous to pilose, with 1 or 2 long hairs along the margin near lamina base and 2–5 globose glands on each side of petiole; lateral veins 4 or 5 pairs. Flowers solitary, axillary, erect, c. 7.5 by 7 mm, c. 13 mm deep, pink. Bracts linear. Pedicel 19.5 mm long, pilose. Lateral sepals 2, c. 1 mm long, obliquely ovate, apex acute and mucronate, base obtuse, green. Lower sepal c. 3 mm long, 2.5 mm deep, navicular, apex acute and mucronate, glabrous to pilose, distal part rapidly constricted into a slender spur, 19 mm long. Dorsal petal c. 4 by 6 mm, broadly oblanceolate, flat, apex truncate, base cuneate, glabrous, abaxial midvein simple or with narrow crest. Lateral united petals 4.5–5 mm long, free: the upper petals c. 3.5 by 2.5 mm, broadly oblanceolate, apex truncate, base cuneate; the lower petals c. 3.5 by 4 mm wide, free, broadly oblanceolate, apex truncate. Stamens: filaments c. 2.5 mm long. Ovary 1.5–2 mm long, 1 mm diam, pilose. Fruits fusiform, turgid in the middle, narrowed at both ends. Seeds unknown.

Phenology — Unknown.

Distribution — Endemic to northern Myanmar (Kachin Hills).

Ecology — Unknown.

Notes — Impatiens mokimi is similar to I. violiflora but differs in having smaller flowers and narrowly elliptic leaves with a cuneate base. More information is required to infer its status. Hooker (1905) did not designate a type of I. mokimi . We found only one specimen, Shaik Mokim s.n. (K000694787), written I. mokimi with an illustration that matches the protologue, so we selected it as the lectotype.