Impatiens khasiana var. toppinii, 2018

Smets, E. F. & Janssens, S. B., 2018, Balsaminaceae of Myanmar, Blumea 63 (3), pp. 199-267 : 253

b. var. toppinii (Dun) Ruchis. & Suksathan , stat. nov. — Map 20

Impatiens khasiana var. toppinii (Dun) Ruchis. & Suksathan. — Impatiens toppinii Dun in Toppin (1920) 353; W.J. Kress et al. (2003) 170; Borah et al. (2015) 33. — Type: Toppin 2781 (lecto, designated in Borah et al. (2015) K K000694915;isolecto K K694913, K K694914, K K694916, K K694917, K K694948, K K694919), Myanmar, Kachin Hills, Sinlum, alt. 4000–5500 ft (1200–1700 m), 1911.

Herb up to 30 cm tall. Stem slender, 2–4 mm diam, erect to decumbent in the lower part, unbranched to branched in the decumbent part. Petiole 10–45 mm long, with 1–3 pair(s) of glandular hairs. Lamina 40–60 by 21–35 mm, margin serrate to crenate, with many pairs of glands near leaf base; lateral veins 6–9 pairs. Inflorescence 1- or 2-flowered. Peduncle 11–35 mm long. Flowers 20–35 mm long, 30–40 mm deep, purple. Bracts 3–6 by 1–3 mm, narrowly ovate to lanceolate, base cuneate to obtuse. Pedicel 9–12 mm long. Lateral sepals 6–11 by 2–7 mm, ovate to lanceolate, base cuneate to obtuse, white with green tip. Lower sepal 10–18 mm long, 9–15 mm deep, densely pilose; spur 20–30(–37) mm long. Dorsal petal 9–13 by 9–13 mm, elliptic to obovate, apex round to acuminate to acute, abaxial midvein 1–2 mm wide. Lateral united petals 24–28 mm long: the upper petals, 9–12 by 5–9 mm; the lower petals 17–21 by 7–12 mm, ovate to obliquely elliptic. Stamens: filaments 5–7 mm long; anthers obtuse. Ovary 5–7 mm long.

Phenology — Flowering: May to November; fruiting: July to November.

Distribution — Myanmar (Kachin State, Mandalay Division), India (Arunachal Pradesh State) ( Borah et al. 2015).

Ecology — Unknown, 1200–1800 m altitude.

Other collections examined. MYANMAR, Kachin State, Lace 5335 (K), Kadu, alt. 4000 ft, 10 July 1911; Buchanan 5 (K), Myitkyina district , Suma Hills, 30

Nov. 1910; Buchanan 5566 (K), ibid., 1 Nov. 1911 ; Mandalay Region, Lace 6006 (E E00752949,E E00752950,K H2015/00092 139), Ruby mines district, 25 Oct. 1912 .

Note — The photos in Borah et al. (2015: 34) show a glabrous stem and peduncle, but we do not have access to the photographed specimens. In order to fully understand the morphological variation of this species, a more thorough study is needed.