B41.S4MINACE.?;. 



75 IMPATIENS. 



ORDER XXIX. BALSAMINACEiE. The Balsam Tribe. 



Fls. — Very irregular. 



Oii.^Sepals 5, deciduous, the 2 upper connate, the lowest spurred or gibbous. 

 Cor. — Petals 4, hypogynous, united by pairs, or rarely .'3, distinct. 

 Sla. — 5, hypogynous. Filaiiii nis su\m\ii\e. Xnt/iers ij-celled. 



0va.—5-ce]iell, compound. ,V/i,»(,/x sessile. . ,/■■"?■'", ' 



J^r.— Capsular, 5-eelled,burstnigelastically by 5 valves, Sds. several m each cell. J^mbr. 

 Annual herbs with succulent stems and simple leaves. This order embracj-s but lew 

 genera, of which one onlv is represented in the U. Stales. With regard to its properties 

 *ud uses it is ol'uo iniporiancc. Some of its species are highly oruanienial. 



■1. IMPA'TIENS. 

 Sepals apparently but 4, the 2 upper being united : petals 

 apparently 2, each of the lower being united to each of the 

 lateral ones; anthers cohering at the apex; capsule often 1- 

 celled by the obliteration of the dissepiments., 5-valved, burst- 

 ing elastically. 



A Lat. term applied to these plants on account of the capsules, which, when 

 ripe, burst at the slightest touch. 



1. I. pa'lida. 



Peduncles solitary, 2— 4-flowered ; lower sepal obtusely conical, dilated, 

 shorter than the petals ; spur recurved, very short ; floicers sparing-ly punctate ; 

 leaves rhomb-ovate, mucronote-toothed ; seeds elliptical. A curious annual 

 plant, found about wet, shady ])laces. Stem 2 feet high, succulent and brit- 

 tle, with alternate leaves. Flowers yellow, on branching, axillary stalks, 

 resembling ear-drops in form, whence the plant is often called Jewel-weed. 

 The capsules when mature, burst at the slightest touch and scatter the seed ; 

 whence its more common English name, Touch-me-not, and the French, Ke- 

 me-touchez-jms. Aug. Touch-me-not. 



2. I. FULVA. 



Peduncles solitary, 2— 4-flowered ; lower sepal acutely conic, longer than 

 the petals; spur resupinate, emarginate, nearly as long as the upper sepals 

 (cralea) ; flowers with crowded spots ; leaves rhomb-ovate, obtuse, mucronate- 

 toothed ; seeds prismatic. Common in wet, shady places. Nearly resembles 

 the foregoing in habit, aspect, and in the irritability of the capsules. Stern 

 covered^'witli a glaucous powder, succulent, diaphanous, swelling at the joints. 

 Flowers yellow, spotted with red within. Hight 2—3 feet. A'^ug. Ann. 



J eic el-weed. 



3. I. Balsami'na. 



Floiccr stalks clustered; Zeacw lanceolate, the upper ones alternate; spur 

 shorter than the flower. From the F- [ndies. It is one of the most beautiful 

 of garden annuals, forming a showy pyramid of finely variegated carnation- 

 like flowers. The prevailing colors of the petals are red and while, but the 

 former varies in every possible shade of crimson, scarlet, purple, pink and 

 flesh-color. The flowers are often double. Garden Balsamine. 



Suborder, TROP.EOLACE^. 



Flowers irregular. Calyx of 5, colored, united sepals, the lowest one spurred ; coroHa 

 of 5 petals, the 3 lower ones stalked ; stamens 8, distinct, unequal ; ovary of 3 united car- 

 pels ; style 1 1 stigmas 3; fruit indeiiiscent, separating into 3 1-seeded nuts; seeds large, 

 .without albumen. 



Trailing or twining herbs, with a pungent, watery juice. 



