Impatiens kingdon-wardii Nob.Tanaka & T.Sugaw.

Smets, E. F. & Janssens, S. B., 2018, Balsaminaceae of Myanmar, Blumea 63 (3), pp. 199-267 : 248-249

52. Impatiens kingdon-wardii Nob.Tanaka & T.Sugaw. — Map 18

Impatiens kingdon­wardii Nob.Tanaka & T.Sugaw. in Tanaka et al. (2015) 90. — Type: Murata et al. 024566 (holo MBK not seen; iso QBG78496; RAF not seen, TI not seen), Myanmar, Chin State, Kanpetlet Township, at the foot of Mt Victoria, Natma Taung National Park , alt. c. 1800–2000 m, 2 Dec. 2002.

Annual herb, 20–100 cm tall. Stem erect, 0.5–6 mm diam, unbranched to moderately branched, green to purple, pilose to glabrous, but densely pilose towards apex. Leaves spirally arranged. Petiole 30–60 mm long, 1–1.5 mm diam, red to dark red, glabrous to sparsely pilose, with c. 1.5 mm long dark red to black hairs. Lamina 50–180 by 30–80 mm, ovate to elliptic to oblong to oblanceolate, apex acute to acuminate, base cuneate to attenuate, margin shallowly serrate to shallowly crenate, green on both sides, reddish on midrib, adaxial sparsely to densely pilose, abaxial glabrous to remotely pilose, with 4–6 long hairs near lamina base, 5.5–6 mm long; lateral veins 8–13 pairs. Inflorescence axillary, pendulous, 2–4(–9)-flowered raceme. Peduncle 1.5–5(–26) mm long, c. 1 mm diam, pink to red, glabrous to densely pilose. Rachis 2–5(–16) mm long, c. 1 mm diam, glabrous to densely pilose. Flowers 20–24 mm long, 15–34 mm deep, purple to pink, rarely white or yellow. Bracts 1–5(–9) by 1–1.5(–3) mm, linear to lanceolate to elliptic to oblanceolate, apex acute and mucronate, base cuneate, margin entire, red to pink, glabrous to pilose, persistent, rarely caducous. Pedicel 10–20 mm long, slender, pink, glabrous to pilose. Lateral sepals 2, 9.5–15 by 10–15 mm, free, orbicular to broadly elliptic, cucullate, completely covering the flower in young stage, apex round and mucronate, base round, pink, densely pilose. Lower sepal 15–20 mm long, 10 mm deep excluding spur, saccate, apex mucronate, pink with white base, densely pilose, base abruptly constricted into an incurved spur with spiral end, 5–13 mm long. Dorsal petal 10–13 by 7–8 mm, suborbicular, cucullate, light pink, adaxial pilose, abaxial midvein with a narrow crest. Lateral united petals 20–25 mm long, connate: the upper petals ovate, connate to each other in the upper part forming a helmet-like structure, the structure then blocked the floral entrance, apex with 2 yellow club-shaped protuberance, base cuneate, bright purple; the lower petals 10–14 by 6–8 mm, broadly obovate, apex round to obtuse, bright purple with white mark at the centre, glabrous. Stamens: filaments 3–4 mm long, glabrous; anthers apex obtuse. Ovary 2.5–4 mm long, fusiform, 5-carpellate, pilose. Fruits 8–11 mm long, 5–6 mm diam, short fusiform to globose, pink, pilose to densely pilose; fruiting pedicels 15–22 mm long. Seeds unknown.

Phenology — Flowering: June to December; fruiting: October to December.

Distribution — Endemic to Myanmar (Chin State).

Ecology — Growing along streams and in shady, wet places, 800–1600 m altitude.

Other collections examined. MYANMAR, Chin State, Kingdon­Ward 22664 (para BM), Kanpetlet Township, Mt Victoria; Maung & Win 024336 (para MBK*, RAF*, TI*), Kanpetlet Township, Mt Victoria, 17 Sept. 2002; Tanaka & Yukawa 081231 (para MBK, RAF), Kanpetlet Township, along the trail to NE of Kanpetlet, via Yelong Pan village, Natma Taung National Park, alt. 1400–1600 m, N21°13'5" E94°3'37.6" –5'41.4", 26 June 2009; Matsumoto s.n. (para TNS-spirit), Kanpetlet Township, near old Kanpetlet Village, Natma Taung National Park, 31 Aug. 2012; Fujikawa et al. 090043 Map 18 Distribution of Impatiens kingdon­wardii Nob.Tanaka & T.Sugaw. (●), I. xanthina H.F.Comber (●), I. fugongensis K.M.Liu & Y.Y.Cong (●) and I. striolata Hook.f. (●).

(QBG QBG70758), between Kanpetlet and Oak Pho Village, 3 Dec. 2012; Ling Shein Man 087636 ( QBG QBG78495 ), Kanpetlet Township , Old Town area , alt. c. 1750 m, 23 Oct. 2011; U Mg Gale­2 5761 ( RAF RAF8773 /5, 4 sheets), Kanpetlet Township , E Saken, alt. 5700 ft, 15 Sept. 1956; Law Shein 091602 ( QBG QBG70762 ), Natma Taung National Park, 3 Oct. 2012; Tanaka & Yukawa 081231 ( QBG QBG78502 ), Natma Taung National Park, along the trail to NE of Kanpetlet, via Yelong Pan village , N21°13'5.6" –5.4" E94°3'37.6" –5'41.4", alt. 1400–1600 m, 26 June 2009; Ling Shein Mang 092931 ( QBG QBG70779 ), Natma Taung National Park , around Kanpetlet , alt. 1700 m, 27 June 2013; Fujikawa et al.090549 ( QBG QBG70761 ), around the entrance, N21°12'10.5" E94°01'47.1",alt. 1945 m, 4 Dec. 2012; Fujikawa et al.094896 ( QBG QBG70797 ), Natma Taung National Park,c. 10 miles from Mindat between Mindat and Matupi (Mindat-Matupi road), Mindat Township , alt. c. 1800 m, 1 Sept. 2013; Ling Shing et al. 024303 ( MBK K0049683 ), Mt Victoria, Natmataung National Park, 31 July 2002 .

Note — Impatiens kingdon­wardii is one of the most distinct species in Myanmar, due to its large, densely pilose lateral sepals and connate upper lateral petals that closes the floral entrance for visitors. The fruit is also very distinct from other species, due to the globose shape (as opposed to short fusiform).