JEWEL-WEED FAMILY 
BALSAMINACE/E 
Jewet-weEeb. So far as the United States is 
concerned this is a small family, having the single 
gerius 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 
186 7 
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