. Tab. 7923. 

 IMPATIENS PALOIFBR. 



Native of the Silckim Himalaya. 



Nat. Ord. Geraniaceje. — Tribe Balsamine.e. 

 Genus Impatiens, Linn.; (Benth. et Hook.f. Gen. Plant, vol. i. p. 277.) 



Impatjkns falcifer; berba annua, 1-2 pedalis, gliiberrima, canle decumbente 

 ramoso terete folioso, foliis 1-4 poll, longis alternis sessilibus et petiolatis 

 ovatis ovato-oblongisve acutis acuminatisve serratis basi acutis, margini- 

 bus minute ciliolatis eglandulosis, nervis 6-8-jugi-s petiolo £-1 poll, 

 longo, glandulis stipularibus minutis pulvinatis, pedunculis axillaribus 

 \~\ poll, longis solitariis 1-rarissime 2-floris medio bracteolatis basi 

 ebracteatis fructu d<-flexis, bracteolis setaceia v. lanceolatis viridibus, 

 floribus ringeutibus 1-1^ poll, longis aureis vexillo loboque f'alcit'ormi 

 alarum sanguineo maculatis, sepalis 2 j-J poll, longis ovatis ovato- 

 rotundalisve apiculatis viridibus, vexillo erecto galeajformi costa dorso 

 incrassato apice mucronato, alarum lobo basilari parvo roluudato integro 

 v. lobulato, distali multo majore bilobubtto lobulis divaricatis laterale 

 lineari-oblongo recurvo falcato terminali amplo oblongo apice rotundato, 

 auricula dorsali 0, labelli parvi limbo infuudibulari in calcar J-l poll, 

 longnm rectum v. incurvum attenuato, filamentis Iinearibus, autheria 

 minutis, capsulis 1-1J poll, longis pendulis, Iinearibus cylindraceis, 

 seminibua T V-i poll, longis oblongis rugulosis f uniculo carnosulo. 



1. falcifer, Hoolc.f. 



I. serrata, Benth. partim. Hook. f. & Thorns, in Joum. Linn. Soc. vol. iv. 

 (1860) p. 136. Hook. f. Fl. Brit. Ind. vol. i. p. 473. Herb. Ind. Or. 

 Hook.f. & Thorns, n. 88. 



Impatiens falcifer belongs to a group of the genus with 

 axillary, simple or forked, one to three-flowered peduncles, 

 which are bracteate usually in the middle, or when forked 

 on one of the pedicels, and pendulous, very slender, elon- 

 gate capsules. OP this group there are several North 

 Indian species, including /. scabritla, DG. (I. tviconui, 

 Lindl. ; Bot. Mag. t. 4051). Its nearest ally is /. serrata, 

 Benth. in "Wall. Cat. n. 4771, also a Sikkim plant, growing 

 at similar elevations, which is so similar in habit, foliage, 

 inflorescence, and capsule that it is impossible to dis- 

 tinguish them without the flower. The description of the 

 latter in the " Flora of British India " includes both. The 

 chief differences between them are, that in I, serrata the 

 flowers are white, the sepals lanceolate and acuminate, and. 

 the distal lobe of the wings quite entire. The condition 

 of the flowers of Wallich's specimens of I. serrata in the 

 November IsTj 1903. 



