Flora of New Zealand Series

shrub balsam

Glabrous subshrub to c. 2 m high, bushy; stems green, ± succulent above. Lvs in whorls of up to 6. Petioles 0.5-2 cm long, winged. Lamina 6-12 × 2-3.5 cm, oblong or oblong-obovate, prominently glandular-ciliate; base attenuate or narrow-cuneate; apex acute. Fls solitary on slender pedicels amongst axils of uppermost lvs, 5-6.5 cm diam., pink. Lateral sepals 10-11 mm long, ovate, acuminate. Posterior sepal broadly ovate, convex and keeled when fresh, flat or nearly so when dry; spur 2-4.5 cm long; very slender. Corolla irregular, flattened and in 1 plane; upper petal c. 2.5-3 × 2.5-3 cm, deeply emarginate; each lateral petal united at base, having a lower obovate and an upper suborbicular segment, c. 2-2.5 × 1.5-2.5 cm, slightly emarginate. Anthers rose. Fr. to c. 2.5 cm long, fusiform. Seed not seen.

N.: N. Auckland, Rangitoto Id, Hillsborough Bay (Auckland), Waitakere Tramline, Waitemata County, Wellington area.

E. Africa 1958

Waste places, coastal areas, scrubland.

FL Jan-Dec.

Shrub balsam is commonly cultivated in coastal areas, cities and towns of the North Id and in Nelson. It has been known in N.Z. as I. oliveri Will. Watson but this is now considered to be a distinct sp. The N.Z. plant is uniform; probably most plants represent a single clone since it grows freely from cuttings. Thus, the fl. colour and calyx spur length are not as variable as indicated by descriptions of the sp. in Africa.

I. sodenii belongs to the same group of Impatiens as I. walleriana Hook. f. (usually known as I. holstii or I. sultanii), which is by far the most abundant sp. cultivated in N.Z. I. walleriana is often grown as a pot plant or as an outdoor garden plant, but does not seem to

escape from cultivation, although it is successful enough to be used as a ground cover plant in N. Auckland. It does not grow nearly as large as I. sodenii, generally has rose, orange or scarlet fls, and the lateral sepals are linear and much smaller.