E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Flora of British Columbia

Impatiens parviflora DC.
small touch-me-not (balsam; small balsam; smallflower touchmenot)
Balsaminaceae (Touch-me-not family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

© Virginia Skilton  Email the photographer   (Photo ID #17203)

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Distribution of Impatiens parviflora
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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

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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.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Habitat / Range

Moist disturbed areas in the lowland zone; infrequent in SW BC, known only from the Vancouver area; introduced from Asia.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Climate

The climate type for this species, as reported in the: "British Columbia plant species codes and selected attributes. Version 6 Database" (Meidinger et al. 2008), is not evaluated, unknown or variable.

Taxonomic and Nomenclatural Links

Additional Photo Sources

General References