Clasping-leaf balsam
Impatiens amplexicaulis
Family: Balsaminaceae
What it is like
An annual plant. It grows 20-40 cm tall. The stems are 4 sided. The leaves are opposite in the lower part of the stem and opposite in the upper part. They do not have leaf stalks. The leaves are oblong and 5-15 cm long by 3-5 cm wide. There are teeth along the edge. There are 6-13 flowers in a group in the axils of leaves. The flowers are pink or purple. The fruit is a capsule. The seeds are oval and black-brown.
There are about 850 Impatiens species.
Where it is found
It is a temperate plant. In Tibet it grows along roadsides between 2,900-3,200 m above sea level.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, China, Himalayas, India, Nepal, Tibet
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Seeds