Tab. 7826. 



IMPATIENS GRANDIFLOEA. 

 Native of Madagascar. 



Nat. Ord. Geramace^. — Tribe BALSAMlNEiU. 

 Genua Impatiens, Linn. ; {Benih. & Hooh.f. Oen. Plant, vol. i. p. 277.) 



Impatiens (Ilniflorfe) grandiflora ; herba 4-5-pedalig, raraosa, glaberriraa, 

 ramis ramulisqne crassiuscalig teretibus, foliis alternis petiolatia 4-6 poll, 

 longis ovato-lanceolatis acuminatis crenato-serratis inter nervoa bullatia 

 marginibuH basin versus petioloqne glandulis paucis crasse stipitatis 

 inntructis, floribus axillaribus solitariis maximis snberectig roaeis; pedun- 

 ciilis 2-2^ poll, longis crassis erectis basi bracteola minnta triangulari 

 instnictis, sepalis 2 herbaceis ovato-rotiindatis ^-1 poll, longis obtusia 

 V. acutis apice mucronatis, vexillo erecto orbiculari l-lj poll- diam., 

 dorso infra apicem corniculato, alis i^-2 poll, longis, lobis patnlis basi 

 sanguineo pictis, basali rotnndato retuso, terminali longiore 1-1| poll, 

 lato obliqne obovato intus margine interiore sinuate lobulato, labello. 

 inflato l-l:j diam. albo roseo reticulato abrnpte in calcar album incurvum 

 lh-2 poll, longum attennato, filamentis brevibus, antheris oblongia, ovario 

 obtuse. 



I. grandiflora, Hemd. in Book. Ic. Plant, t. 2655. Gard. Chron. 1901, vol. i. 

 p. no, fig. 47. 



This is by far the largest flowered Balsam hitherto dis- 

 covered, the flowers of native speciraeos being quite half as 

 large again as are those of the cultivated plant here figured ; 

 and very much larger than those of the Ceylon I. Hoolceriana, 

 Arn. (tab. 4704), which has long been known as exceeding 

 all others in this respect. Though differing from /. Eooher- 

 iana in inflorescence and colour of flower, /. Hooheriana, 

 having sub-umbellate, nearly white flowers, these species 

 agree fairly closely in the form of the standard and 

 wings, the latter of which show red streaks at the base of 

 the terminal lobe. They differ in the sepals, which are 

 small and lanceolate in Hookeriana, and in the lip, which 

 is not inflated in that plant ; the glands on the petiole in 

 Hookeriana are only two, and situated at the top of the 

 latter. In the absence of fruit of both these species, it ia 

 impossible to speculate on their affinities. 



Impatiens grandiflora was discovered by Mr. Gt. Warpur, 

 a botanical collector, in Madagascar, where it inhabits 

 swampy places to the N.W. of Tamatave, at twelve 



March 1st, ]9u2. 



