310 



XLYIII. BALSAMINE^. 



Tonch-me-not. 

 (Impatiens NoU-me-tangere.') 



Impatiens. 

 Ripe pistil. 



Impatiens, 

 Fiiiit. 



Impatiens. 

 Androecium (mag.). 



Impaiiens. 



Vertical section of andrcecium, and 



transverse Eection oi; an anther (mag.). 



hnpatiens. 



Deliiscent anthers 



(mag.). 



Impatiens. 



Seed, entire and cut vertically 



(mag.). 



OvAET of 5 many—few-ovuled cells ; stigma sessile. Fbuit a capsule, dehiscing elasti- 

 cally, or an indehiscent drupe. Embkto straight, exalbuminous. 



Soft succulent herbs, usually annual, sometimes suffruticose, erect, full of 

 watery juice ; root fibrous or sometimes tuberous. Leaves sometimes all radical, 

 long-petioled, cordate or reniform; cauline opposite, alternate or ternately whorled, 

 penninerved, crenate or dentate; stipules 0, but petioles sometimes furnished at 

 the base with substipitate cupular glands ; peduncles axillary, solitary or aggre- 

 gated, 1-00 -flowered, bracteate ; pedicels naked or bracteolate. Flowees S , irre- 

 gular, spurred, often resupiuate from the weakness of the pedicel and weight of the 

 spur, which hence appears posterior. Sepals 3-5, irregular, coloured, caducous, 

 imbricate in sestivation, the 2 outer lateral, opposite, small or minute, incumbent on 

 the 2 anterior, which are sometimes wanting ; the posterior large, concave, pro- 

 longed at the base into a boss or spur, and enveloping the ovary in bud. Corolla 

 inserted on the receptacle, of 5 petals alternate with the sepals, all iree,{lIydrocera), 

 or appearing reduced to 3 by the confluence of the lateral with the 2 posterior 

 petals {Impatiens) ; antericTr petal concave, much larger than* the others, and 



