Balsaminaceae

Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera )

The plant family of Balsaminengewächse ( Balsaminaceae or rarely also called Impatientaceae ) belongs to the order of the heather -like ( Ericales ).

Features

The Balsaminengewächse are an annual or perennial herbaceous plants with translucent, fleshy tissue in the stems. The whole plant is usually hairless. The alternate and spirally or mostly opposite, rarely in threes in whorls, arranged leaves are simple and stalked. At the petiole and leaf edge teeth or bumps are often trained, can secrete nectar ( extrafloral nectaries ). The leaf margin is smooth or finely serrated and often sharp. Stipules usually can not be observed.

The flowers appear singly or in zymösen inflorescences. Characteristic features are the strongly zygomorphic, rotated by 180 degrees, five petals.

Of the three to five sepals, the average is greatly enlarged, mostly spurred and similar to the color of the petals ago. In many species, the spur is round shaped sac. Of the other four sepals two are well developed, the last two often tiny or entirely absent.

Of the (rarely four) five petals is an enlarged and forms the upper lip of the flower. The other four pairs fused ( at Hydrocera still free ) to varying degrees and form a two-part lower lip.

The exact shape and color of the crown and sepals varies greatly. There are many very decorative species are used as ornamental plants. In the genus Hydrocera the flowers are not quite so strongly zygomorphic as in Impatiens, but hit the mentioned features in a weakened form still.

It's just a circle with five free, fertile stamens present, they are clearly different and it lacks the inner stamen circle. Are in each flower (rarely four) fused five carpels to a superior ovaries. The style ends in a five or scars. Pollination is mostly by insects ( entomophily ):

In Impatiens most explosive capsule dehiscent fruits and Hydrocera drupes are formed.

Dissemination

Main distribution centers of the family are the mountainous regions of the tropical and subtropical Africa, especially Madagascar and South Asia. Most species of the genus Impatiens prefer locations with a water balance and are found along river banks or in damp forests. Only a few species there are in the temperate latitudes of the northern hemisphere. This includes in particular as a neophyte the Himalayan Balsam, which, originally, originating from India, has captured after naturalizing gardens from large parts of central Europe and America. Extensive deposits of which there are in North Rhine -Westphalia on the Wupper and its tributaries. Because of the shape of the plant bears flowers at the sites of the area Bergisch land also the popular nickname " Wupper Orchid".

System

The family has about 1000 species in only two genera of the large genus of Spring herbs ( Impatiens L.), and a monotypic genus Hydrocera ex Wight & Arn flower. with the kind Hydrocera triflora (L.) Wight & Arn. , which is found in Southeast Asia and Malaysia's.

In Europe, there are the following species of the genus Impatiens:

• Balfour's Balsam ( Impatiens balfourii Hook f. ), Originally occurs in the Himalayas and is naturalized in Central and Southern Europe
• Impatiens (Impatiens balsamina L.); widely planted ornamental plant that originates from South East Asia or, occasionally wild or naturalized in Europe is
• Orange Balsam ( Impatiens capensis Meerb; Syn: . I. biflora Walter ), native to North America and is naturalized in Europe in places
• Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera Royle; Syn: I. roylei Walpers ), originates from the Himalayas and is naturalized in many areas in Europe
• Oversensitive (Impatiens noli - tangere L.), native to Europe
• Small-flowered balsam ( Impatiens parviflora DC. ), Native to central Asia, this species is naturalized in Europe for a long time

Other types are (selection):

• Impatiens hawkeri W. Bull
• Impatiens niamniamensis Gilg
• Busy Lizzie (Impatiens walleriana Hook f. )

Swell

• The Balsaminaceae family in APWebsite (English )
• The Balsaminaceae at DELTA family. (English )
• Description of the family in the Flora of China. (English )
• David Moore Moresby: Impatiens L. In: Thomas Gaskell Tutin include: Flora Europaea. Volume 2, pages 240-241. Cambridge University Press 1968