JEWEL-WEED FAMILY 



BALSAMINACE^ 



Jewel-weed. So far as the United States is 

 concerned this is a small family, having the single 

 genus to which our common Wild Balsams or 

 Jewel-weeds belong. These are often called 

 Touch-me-nots, on account of the curious way in 

 which the seed pods burst when disturbed. They 

 are also sometimes called Silver-leaf on account 

 of the beautiful coloring of the leaves. These 

 plants are commonly to be found in damp, shady 

 localities where the soil is rich, being especially 

 abundant along the margins of slow-running 

 streams and ponds and swamps. If you will look 

 at the plants early in the morning, before the 

 sunshine has evaporated the dewy pendants hang- 

 ing from the margins of the leaves, you will 

 appreciate the significance of the name Jewel- 

 weed; while if you will touch a ripening seed pod 

 you will also appreciate the significance of the 

 name Touch-me-not, or its Latin equivalent 

 Impatiens. 



The flowers also are of decided interest, for 

 they appear to be especially adapted to pollina- 

 tion by bumble-bees, although they are freely 

 visited by humming-birds. A little study of 



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