Impatiens (Balsam, Busy Lizzie genus)

Impatiens (Balsam, Busy Lizzie genus)

Life > eukaryotes > Archaeoplastida > Chloroplastida > Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants) > Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants) > Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering plants) > Eudicotyledons > Core Eudicots > Asterids > Order: Ericales > Family: Balsaminaceae

Impatiens sp. in garden in Knysna (Western Cape, South Africa).

About 850 species, native to tropical and subtropical parts of the world but not South America or Australia. Very popular as garden plants and indoor plants. Six species are native to southern Africa, two are naturalised, and a further 13 species are cultivated in the region.

Species native to southern Africa

List from Plants of Southern Africa - an Online Checklist (SANBI), Flora of Zimbabwe and Flora of Mozambique.

Impatiens cecilii Recorded from Zimbabwe and Mozambique. See Flora of Zimbabwe.
Impatiens flanaganiae
Impatiens hochstetteri
Impatiens psychadelphoides Recorded from Zimbabwe and Mozambique. See Flora of Zimbabwe.
Impatiens salpinx Recorded from Zimbabwe and Mozambique. See Flora of Zimbabwe.
Impatiens sylvicola See Flora of Zimbabwe.

Species naturalised in southern Africa

List from Plants of Southern Africa - an Online Checklist (SANBI), Flora of Zimbabwe and Flora of Mozambique.

Impatiens sodenii

Native to Kenya and Tanzania.

Impatiens walleriana (Busy lizzie)

Native to tropical Africa. See Flora of Zimbabwe.

Other species, cultivated in southern Africa

List from Glen (2002).

Impatiens balfouri Native to India.
Impatiens balsamina (Garden balsam) Native to India.
Impatiens burtonii Native to tropical Africa.
Impatiens congolensis Native to tropical Africa.
Impatiens glandulifera (Policeman's helmet) Native to India.
Impatiens irvingii Native to tropical Africa.
Impatiens niamniamensis Native to tropical Africa.
Impatiens parviflora Native to central Asia.
Impatiens repens Native to Sri Lanka.
Impatiens roylei Native to India.
Impatiens rubromaculata Native to Tanzania and Malawi
Impatiens scabrida Native to India.
Impatiens tinctoria Native to Kenya and Uganda.

Herbivores in southern Africa

Hippotion celerio (Silver Striped Hawkmoth)

Caterpillar eats the leaves.

Hippotion eson (Common Striped Hawkmoth)

Caterpillar eats the leaves.

Hippotion osiris (Large Striped Hawkmoth).

Caterpillar eats the leaves.

Publications

Grey-Wilson, C. 1980. Impatiens of Africa. Balkema, Rotterdam.
Launert, E. 1963. Balsaminaceae. Flora Zambesiaca 2: 162-180.