small touch-me-not (balsam; small balsam; smallflower touchmenot)
Balsaminaceae (Touch-me-not family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
Introduction
Balsam, or small touch-me-not, is an introduced, invasive species of Impatiens that is native to central Asia (Flora of Northwestern Europe 2010). It is reported in North America only from Canada, where it has been found in British Columbia, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia (USDA 2010). In British Columbia, it is widespread in the Lower Mainland. In the Lower Mainland, it is reported from many locations, including the Greater Vancouver area, Abbotsford, Chilliwack (including the Chilliwack River Valley), and Vedder Mountain. The earliest BC collection record for this species in the UBC Herbarium is from 1949, when it was collected at Spanish Banks in Vancouver by John Eastman.
This species is found in disturbed sites in BC where it occurs in shady, moist to damp, nutrient-rich areas. It often grows in thick profusion and can form continuous linear populations along roadsides. It is a frost-intolerant annual succulent herb, 20 to 80 cm tall, with pale yellow spurred flowers occurring in the leaf axils. The spur is straight and points backwards. Flowering in BC occurs from July through to September. |
Species Information
General:
Annual succulent herb; stems erect to ascending, often branched, glabrous, 20-80 cm tall.
Leaves:
Alternate, stalked, egg-shaped to elliptic, finely and sharply saw-toothed, 3-12 cm long.
Flowers:
One to several in leaf axils, pale yellow; sepals pouched, with spurs straight and directed backward.
Fruits:
Capsules, elastically dehiscent, 10-20 mm long, many-seeded.
Illustration
If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.
Illustration Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia
Habitat and Range
Moist disturbed areas in the lowland zone; infrequent in SW BC, known only from the Vancouver area; introduced from Asia.Status Information
Taxonomic Keys
Taxonomic Key to Impatiens
1. Pouched sepals not spurred......................................I. ecalcarata 1. Pouched sepals spurred. 2. Leaves opposite or whorled (at least some of them), finely saw-toothed; flowers blue to purple or purplish-pink or sometimes white............................ I. glandulifera 2. Leaves alternate, coarsely saw-toothed; flowers orange or yellowish. 3. Spurs of the sepals straight, directed backward.......................................I. parviflora 3. Spurs of the sepals curved or hooked. 4. Flowers less than 2 cm long, without spots..........................I. aurella 4. Flowers more than 2 cm long, spotted, mottled or sparingly flecked. 5. Flowers orange, brown-spotted, or -mottled.........................I. capensis 5. Flowers yellow, sparingly flecked with brownish purple........................I. noli-tangere |