Impatiens urticifolia - Nettle-Leaf Balsam

Nettle-Leaf Balsam is an annual herb, 50-100 cm tall. Flowers are yellow or pale purple, red striped, about 2.5 cm in diameter. Lateral sepals are 2, obliquely ovate, often with glands on one side. Lower sepal obliquely sac-like, short, abruptly narrowed into an incurved or hooked, short spur. Upper petal is round, lateral united petals are 2-lobed; basal lobes round; distal lobes hatchet-shaped, tip pointed; ear inflexed, small. Flower-stalks are longer than bracts, fibrous or slender; bracts persistent, ovate-lanceshaped. Flowers are usually borne in 3-5-flowered clusters in leaf-axils or at branch-ends. Flower-cluster-stalks are spreading or curved, shorter than or longer than leaves, slender. Stem is usually slender, hairless, branched. Leaves are alternate, lower leaves long stalked, upper leaves stalkless; leaf-stalk 2-5.5 cm. Leaves are elliptic-ovate, elliptic, or oblong-lanceshaped, 8-20 x 2.5-5.5 cm, membranous, both surfaces hairless, bristly between teeth, lateral veins 9-12 pairs, base wedge-shaped, margin rounded toothed, tip tapering with a tail. Capsule linear, about 2.5 cm. Nettle-Leaf Balsam is found in understories of alpine Oak or Fir forests on slopes, at altitudes of 2300-3400 m, in Central & East Himalaya to S Tibet. Flowering: June-August.