Impatiens spirifera - Spiral-Tail Balsam

Spiral-Tail Balsam is an annual, non-fleshy herb, almost unbranched, up to 45 cm tall, with a round stem and finely velvet-hairy upper portion. Pink flowers are borne singly in leaf-axils, on stalks up to 4.5 cm; bracts persistent, lanceshaped, 2.5-1.5 mm. Lateral sepals 0.7-1 x 0.6-0.9 cm; lower sepal mollusc-shaped, up to 2.2 cm deep, with a coiled spur up to 1.2 cm. Dorsal petal is round, 1.5-1.8 x 1.5-2 cm, notched, with a forward-pointing hairy appendage up to 7 mm. Lateral petals are united, bilobed, up to 3.6 cm long and 1.6 cm wide. Stamens are upright, to 3 mm. Leaves are alternate, evenly distributed, stalked (0.6-4.5 cm), elliptic to ovate-lanceshaped, sometimes oblique, 3-9 x 1.5-5 cm, finely velvet-hairy, with wedge-shaped to narrowed or oblique base, tapering tip, rounded-toothed bristly margin, and 6-9 pairs of nearly pposite veins. Capsules are green, somewhat spindle-shaped and ribbed, up to 2.5 x 0.3 cm. Spiral-Tail Balsam is found in Central & E. Himalaya to N. Myanmar.