Impatiens wibkeae Eb. Fisch. & Rahelivololona, 2004

Fischer, Eberhard & Rahelivololona, Marie Elisette, 2004, A new epiphytic species of Impatiens (Balsaminaceae) from the Comoro Islands, Adansonia (3) 26 (1), pp. 93-95 : 95

Impatiens wibkeae Eb. Fisch. & Rahelivololona , sp. nov.

Impatienti auricomae affinis sed habitu epiphytico, sepalis lateralibus rubris et majoribus, sepalo inferiore majori, calcare breviore et petalis lateralibus majoribus differt.

TYPUS. — Labat, Yahaya, Daroueche , Djoubieri & Mindhiri 3215, Comores, Moheli, Miringoni , Vondrouvou , Chalet Saint-Antoine , 12°17’17”S, 43°39’50”E, 660 m, forêt dense humide de crête , riche en lichen à Cyathea et Cynometra , sol forestier noir sur basalte, 25 Nov. 1999 (holo-, P; iso-, herbier du Centre national de Documentation et de Recherche scientifique de Moroni, G, K, MO) .

Epiphytic herb up to 60 cm tall. Stem succulent. Leaves dark green, petiole 26-35 mm long, with 1-2 pairs of extrafloral nectaries in apical part, lamina ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, 85- 112 × 27-44 mm, margin with 16-18 pairs of fimbriae. Inflorescence axillary, bracts 2 × 0.5 mm, pedicel 42-45 mm long, reddish. Flower with yellow dorsal petal, bearing a long redorange crest, lateral sepals red, lower sepal yellow with reddish veination, spur reddish. Lateral sepals broadly ovate, acuminate, 30 × 15 mm. Lower sepal navicular, 25-28 × 10 mm, with 2 globose, obtuse sacculate spurs, 4-5 × 2-3 mm, with narrow longitudinal ridges. Dorsal petal cucullate, 20 × 15 mm, dorsal crest with spur-like apicule. Lateral united petals 24 mm long, upper petal 15 × 8-9 mm, lower petal 9 × 6-7 mm. Anthers 15 mm long. Ovary 14 mm long. Fruit c. 20-22 mm long, furrowed. — Fig. 1.

HABITAT. — Submontane rainforest. DISTRIBUTION. — Comoro Islands, only known from the type locality on Moheli.

ETYMOLOGY. — Dedicated to Wibke BRIESE.