Balsaminaceae

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Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Balsaminaceae (from Balsamina, the old name of the genus Impatiens, probably derived from balassan, the Arabic name of these plants). Balsam Family. Fig. 36. Herbs, very rarely epiphytic: leaves various: flowers bisexual, irregular, spurred, nodding; sepals 3-5, irregular, imbricated often petaloid, the posterior very large and sack-like, and gradually prolonged backward into a honey-spur; petals 5, alternate with the sepals, separate, or united so as to appear as 3, lower petals much the larger; stamens 5, hypogynous, closely covering the ovary like a hood; anthers coherent; ovary superior, 5-celled; ovules 3 to many in each cell; stigmas sessile: fruit a 5-valved capsule, the valves of which coil up elastically and forcibly distribute the seeds, or sometimes a 5-celled drupe-like structure. Contained in this family are 2 genera and about 220 species, of which all but 1 belong to the genus Impatiens; widely distributed, but most abundant in the tropics of the Old World, wanting in South America. The family is closely related to the Geraniaceae, with which it was formerly united, but is distinguished by the 5 peculiar hypogynous stamens. The honey-spur in this family is an outgrowth of the sepals, and not of the receptacle as in Pelargonium and Tropaeolum. There are extra-floral nectaries on the foliage of some species, which attract protective ants. The sap of several species of Impatiens has been used as a dye to color red or yellow: that of I. biflora (North America) staining yellow; that of I. Balsamina (India) staining red, and used to color the skin and fingernails. The tubers of I. tinctoria of Abyssinia are used for dyeing the feet and hands red or black. Some species have been used as medicine. Many are ornamental. There are several species of Impatiens in the North American trade: I. aurea and I. biflora are the east American touch-me-nots or jewel-weeds; I. Balsamina is the garden balsam; the other species are greenhouse plants. CH The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

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References

• Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963

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