Putnam Park Wildflowers


Flower ID: IMG_2057.JPG-09-24-2017
Flower name (scientific): Impatiens balsamina Linnaeus PY: 1753. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) im-PAY-shens bal-SAM-in-uh
Flower name (common): Balsam
Family name (common): Touch-me-not
Family name (scientific): Balsaminaceae
Scientific name origin:
     Genus: Latin for impatient. Refers to the dehiscence (explosive action) of the fruit to disperse seeds.
    Specific epithet: Of balsam. Former generic name for Impatiens.
Common name origin: From the shape of the flower, i.e. balsam-like.
Flower description:
     Size: 0.5 to 0.8 inches (1.3 to 2.0 cm)
     Petal count: 5
     Color: White (and several other colors including: pink, red, orange, purple).
     Other: flower arrangement, Raceme
Plant description:
     Size: 6 to 30 inches (15 to 76 cm)
     Stem hairy:
     Other:
Leaf description: attachment is alternate, type is simple
     Size: Leaves up to 10 to 15 cm long and up to 7 cm wide.
     Color:
     Hairy:
     Other: Shape: leaf, elliptic to lanceolate (MBG)
Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Introduced, escaped.
Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Common
Bloom time (typical): July to September
Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Annual
Habitat: Disturbed areas, possibly escaped from cultivation, moist.
Fruit:
Seed:
Importance to wildlife:
Similar species (if any): None close when in bloom.
Ethnobotany:
Latitude:
Longitude:
Altitude:
Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Clark, Dane, Eau Claire, Grant, Marathon, Milwaukee, Oneida, Rusk, Shawano, Waushara) Click here for distribution map
In US: (AL, FL, IL, IN, KY, LA, MI, MO, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, VA, WI, WV) Click here for distribution map
In Canada:
References:
Synonym(s):
Basionym: na
Homotypic Synonym(s): POWO lists 3 homotypic synonyms for this species.
Heterotypic Synonym(s): na
Autonym: Impatiens balsamina var. balsamina (The other infraspecifics are Impatiens balsamina var. macrantha Joseph Dalton Hooker, Impatiens balsamina var. micrantha Joseph Dalton Hooker, Impatiens balsamina var. parusnathica Joseph Dalton Hooker. All three of these varieties are native to India and have not been recorded from North America.)
Wetland Status (NC): UPL
Wetland Status (MW): FACU