Genus Impatiens Research Articles

Taxonomical implications of foliar epidermal anatomy of Impatiens L. species (Balsaminaceae) in the Nilgiris, Southern Western Ghats, India

The foliar epidermal anatomy of 22 Impatiens species from the family Balsaminaceae was studied. The study intended to determine whether the micromorphological characteristics of the genus Impatiens were taxonomically significant and would aid in the precise identification of the species. The qualitative and quantitative traits as well as diagnostic characteristics were identified using a Light microscope. Variations were observed in both adaxial and abaxial leaf micromorphological characters like the shape of the epidermal and guard cells, anticlinal wall pattern, lobes per cell, stomatal pore, distribution of stomata, type of stomata and the presence and nature of trichomes. Anomocyic stomata exclusively occurred in all the studied Impatiens species. Stomata were present on both the surface of I. scabriscula B. Heyne ex Walland I. balsamina L., while in rest of the studied species stomata restricted on abaxial surface. An elliptical pore is the dominant type of stomatal pore among the investigated impatiens taxa. Uniseriate multicellular trichomes were observed (I. tenella B.Heyne ex Hook., I. fruticosa Lesch ex DC, I. gardeneriana Wight, I. minor (DC.) Bennet, I. rufescens Benth ex Wight & Arn). For accurate species delineation and identification in the genus Impatiens, taxonomic keys have been developed based on foliar micromorphology.

ADAPTATION OF PHYTOPHAGES AND PHYTOPATHOGENS TO NEOPHYTES OF THE GENUS IMPATIENS L. (BALSAMINACEAE) IN MOSCOW REGION

Results of a five-year study of phytophages and phytopathogens in the Moscow region on two invasive species of the genus Impatiens L. (Balsaminaceae): I. parviflora DC. and I. grandi ora Royl. are presented. The damaging complex consists of representatives of herbivorous polyphages, fungal pathogens, phytoviruses and indicates the adaptation of autochthonous phytotrophic organisms. 6 phytophages and 4 pathogens of fungal diseases at I. parvi ora, and 5 phytophages, 4 fungal phytopathogens and 3 phytoviruses at I. glandulifera were found. During the study period, there was no critical increase in the density of populations of harmful arthropod species and the development of epiphytoties.

Flavonoids from <i>Impatiens grandulifera</i> and Their Antioxidant Activity

Introduction. The genus Impatiens L. includes about 850 species, which are found mainly in tropical and subtropical climate zones. The Indigenous people of Pakistan used pastes and extracts from I. glandulifera for the treatment of joint pain, anxiety and skin allergies [6]. Flowers of I. glandulifera are used in Bach flower remedies, which are used for sedation, relaxation and helping to balance emotional states.Aim. Isolation and structural elucidation of 11 phenolic constituents from the aerial parts of I. glandulifera and the evaluation of their antioxidant activity.Materials and methods. The aerial part of Impatiens glandulifera Royle was collected in the Leningrad region near the village of Orekhovo in 2021. Fractions were analyzed by analytical high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using a Prominence LC-20 (Shimadzu, Japan) equipped with a diode array detector. The isolation of individual compounds was carried out by column chromatography on open glass columns with sorbents of different selectivity, as well as by preparative HPLC using a Smartlina (Knauer, Germany) equipped with a spectrophotometric detector. The structure of isolated individual compounds was established by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy (Bruker Avance III 400 MHz, Germany). To study the antioxidant activity, we used solutions obtained by dissolving the isolated substances in a mixture of dimethyl sulfoxide and ethanol; an aqueous solution of vitamin C and an alcoholic solution of Trolox (Sigma-Aldrich, Japan).Result and discussion. Phytochemical analysis of the aerial parts of Impatiens glandulifera Royle. resulted in the isolation of 11 polyphenolic secondary metabolites (1-11) and their structures were elucidated. The antioxidant activity of all isolated compounds was evaluated.Conclusion. The maximum RAP values of eriodyctiol (3), kaempferol (1), and quercetin (2) did not differ significantly (p = 0.585) from those of the comparator preparations: vitamin C and Trolox, which indicates that the antioxidant effect of these three isolated compounds is comparable to the well-known antioxidants. However, the semi-effective concentrations of these substances are two or more times lower (p = 2.56 · 10–4) comparted with vitamin C.

Species Diversity and Geographical Distribution Patterns of Balsaminaceae in China

Balsaminaceae are world-famous ornamental flowers because of their high species diversity, rich variation, peculiar flower patterns, and long ornamental cycles. To study the species diversity, distribution patterns, and distribution hotspots of Balsaminaceae in China, we updated the list of Balsaminaceae by systematically searching the related literature. The distribution pattern and hotspots of Impatiens spp. were analyzed using the ArcGIS 10.8.2 software. Combining 19 meteorological factors and one elevation factor, the Maxent model was applied to analyze the dominant environmental factors that govern the distribution of Impatiens spp. As of February 2023, Balsaminaceae in China included 360 taxa in two genera, including one taxon in the genus of Hydrocera, 359 taxa in the genus Impatiens, 271 national endemic species, and 157 provincial endemic species. Impatiens spp. showed a diffusion pattern from the tropical and subtropical regions to the high-latitude and high-elevation regions concentrated in Southwest China, especially in the Hengduan Mountains in the broad sense, Southern Tibet, the Yunnan–Guizhou–Guangxi karst region, the Qinling–Daba Mountains, and the southeastern hills. The highest species richness was found in the 1200~1500 m elevation range, with 164 species of Impatiens spp. This high species richness was maintained at between 900 and 2700 m, the elevation range where Impatiens spp. are concentrated. When 100% of the species were screened out, 110 hotspots were found, including Southeast Yunnan, Northwest Yunnan, Southern Tibet, and Western Sichuan, where most of the hotspots were concentrated and overlapped with global biodiversity centers, but other hotspots were more scattered. Annual precipitation, the minimal temperature of the coldest month, the altitude and temperature annual range, and four environmental variables with a cumulative contribution of 93.7% were the dominant environmental factors affecting the distribution of Impatiens spp. in China. This study lays the foundation for subsequent studies of Balsaminaceae diversity and is conducive to the development and use of Impatiens spp. resources.

Palynological and macroscopic characters evidence infer the evolutionary history and insight into pollination adaptation in Impatiens (Balsaminaceae)

AbstractThe genus Impatiens comprises more than 1000 species and displays enormous morphological diversity. As a taxon that is notoriously difficult to classify morphologically, the taxonomic significance of pollen morphology has been discussed in previous studies. However, there was only limited study on the evolution of palynological and macroscopic character in this genus before. In this paper, we observed pollen of 143 species of Impatiens, including all representatives of infrageneric groups and discussed their taxonomic value. Meanwhile, based on the reconstructed phylogenetic framework, we selected five pollen traits, and nine macroscopic traits including both vegetative and reproductive organs for evolutionary analysis. The character reconstruction showed that the morphology and number of aperture, granules in lumina, seed number of per capsule, number of sepals, lateral united petals connate, spur length, and phyllotaxy could be identified as unambiguous, while other characters were ambiguous in the last common ancestor of Impatiens. The results of comprehensively macroscopic characters and palynological evidence suggest that these traits experienced a complicated evolution, exhibit high levels of instability and variability and occur character multiple reversals in the evolutionary processes of Impatiens due to different selection pressures. In addition, we found that there is an evident mosaic evolution in this genus. Pollen and macroscopic character are conserved with a slower evolutionary rate in the I. subgen. Clavicarpa, however, these characters showed higher diversity with a rapid rate of evolution in the I. subgen. Impatiens. Furthermore, the relationship between floral morphology and pollinators was discussed.

The rediscovery of Impatiens sigmoidea Hook. f. (Balsaminaceae) in Guizhou, China after more than 100 years

Impatiens sigmoidea was described in 1908 by the eminent British plant taxonomist J. D. Hooker based on specimens collected by the French missionaries E. M. Bodinier et al. from Guizhou, China. However, there has been no other records since then. After years of concern, we rediscovered I. sigmoidea in one of its type localities, Gao-po Town, in 2018. A revised description, colour photographs and a provisional IUCN Red List assessment of this species are provided, along with discussions of its geographical distribution, ecology and morphological comparison with I. lasiophyton. The lectotype of I. sigmoidea is also designated here. The rediscovery provides an essential basis for enriching the botanical resources of the genus Impatiens.

Five new synonyms for Impatiensprocumbens (Balsaminaceae) in China.

In the revision on the genus Impatiens L. in China, we found that there were synonyms amongst some species. Impatiensprocumbens Franch. morphologically resembled I.reptans Hook.f., I.crassiloba Hook.f., I.ganpiuana Hook.f., I.atherosepala Hook.f. and I.rhombifolia Y.Q.Lu & Y.L.Chen. After a thorough morphological study, based on original literature, type specimens and field surveys, it was found that the above six species of Impatiens had no substantial differences in morphological characters and there was continuity in geographical distribution. Therefore, we determined that I.reptans, I.crassiloba, I.ganpiuana, I.atherosepala and I.rhombifolia are the synonyms of I.procumbens. At the same time, we present the color photographs, supplementary descriptions of morphology, and geographical distribution. The lectotype of I.procumbens and I.reptans are also designated here.

Plastome evolution and phylogenomics of Impatiens (Balsaminaceae)

This study reported seven new plastomes from Impatiens and observed three highly variable regions for phylogeny and DNA barcoding, which resolved the relationships among sections of subgenus Impatiens. Impatiens L. (Balsaminaceae, Ericales) is one of the largest and most diverse genera of angiosperms, widely known for its taxonomic difficulty. In this study, we reevaluated the infrageneric relationships within the genus Impatiens, using complete plastome sequence data. Seven complete plastomes of Impatiens (representing 6 species) were newly sequenced and characterized along with 20 previously published plastomes of other Impatiens species, plus 2 plastomes of outgroups (Hydrocera triflora, Balsaminaceae; Marcgravia coriacea, Marcgraviaceae). The total size of these 29 plastomes ranged from 151,538bp to 152,917bp, except 2 samples of Impatiens morsei, which exhibited a shorter length and lost some genes encoding NADH dehydrogenase subunits. Moreover, the number of simple sequence repeats (SSRs) ranged from 51 to 113, and the number of long repeats from 17 to 26. In addition, three highly variable regions were identified (trnG-GCC (The previous one), ndhF-rpl32-trnL-UGA-ccsA, and ycf1). Our phylogenomic analysis based on 80 plastome-derived protein-coding genes strongly supported the monophyly of Impatiens and its two subgenera (Clavicarpa and Impatiens), and fully resolved relationships among the six (out of seven) sampled sections of subgenus Impatiens. Overall, the plastome DNA markers and phylogenetic results reported in this study will facilitate future identification, taxonomic and DNA barcoding studies in Impatiens as well as evolutionary studies in Balsaminaceae.

Impatiens banen and Impatiens etugei (Balsaminaceae), new threatened species from lowland of the Cross-Sanaga Interval, Cameroon

SummaryWe describe two range-restricted new species to science from the genus Impatiens (Balsaminaceae), both threatened, from lowland of the Cross-Sanaga Interval of western Cameroon. The first, Impatiens banen, appears to be restricted to an open seepage microhabitat on granitic inselbergs in the lowland-submontane forest zone of the Ebo Forest in Littoral Region and is provisionally assessed using the 2012 IUCN standard as Vulnerable. Sharing characters with Impatiens burtonii and I. mannii, it differs from both, and appears to be unique in Cameroon inter alia 1) in the bicolored united lateral petals, the upper petals being white, while the lower petals are an intense pink-purple, 2) the hairy, filamentous spur, purple with a white apex, is curved along its length, almost describing a circle. Inselberg-specific species are unusual in Impatiens.The second species, Impatiens etugei, of the I. macroptera aggregate, is restricted to rocks in the Mutel River of the Kom Wum Forest Reserve of North West Region and is assessed as Critically Endangered. Having similarities with I. mackeyana and I. letouzeyi, it differs from other species in the aggregate inter alia by having opposite leaves (vs always alternate), flower exterior white (vs pink or pink-purple), and in the dorsal petal having a pair of lateral projections (vs projections absent).

Impatiens sikaiensis sp. nov. (Balsaminaceae) from Sichuan, China

Impatiens sikaiensis Q. Luo & Y. Yuan, a new species of the genus Impatiens from Zhaojue County, Sichuan, China, is described in detail with its morphological characteristics, photographs and physical drawings. The species resembles Impatiens uniflora morphologically but can be distinguished from the latter by its yellow flowers; ovate bracts with long‐cuspidate apex, 5–9 mm long; lateral sepals 6–12 mm long; dorsal petals with a narrowly cristate swelling at abaxial mid‐vein, and a rough tip at the apex. The micro‐morphological features and surface patterning of the pollen grains and seeds of the new species were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). This revealed that the pollen grains of the new species typically have 5 angles and 5 germ furrows, which has not before been reported in the species of Impatiens commonly found in China.

The checklist of Impatiens Riv. ex L. (Balsaminaceae) in Nilgiri and Palani Hills of southern Western Ghats (India)

A comprehensive checklist of the genus Impatiens Riv. ex L. (Balsaminaceae) in Nilgiri and Palani of southern Western Ghats, India is presented. After thorough field explorations in these areas from 2012 to 2020 in different seasons, 38 species of Impatiens are recorded, in which 6 species are endemic to Western Ghats and 26 species are endemic to southern Western Ghats of India. Horticultural potential of 18 endemic species of balsam is also discussed.

Impatiens smetsiana, another example of convergent evolution of flower morphology in Impatiens

Background and aims – The genus Impatiens is known for its enormous convergent phenotypic adaptation, with similar floral traits having independently evolved in distantly related lineages. The large functional convergence of Impatiens flowers causes a high degree of homoplasy for several phenotypic characters resulting in increased difficulties to distinguish between species with a similar morphology that are only distantly related, however. As a result, some species remain under the radar, as they are confused with other well-known species. This was the case for a new Impatiens species from the Tchabal Mbabo Mountains in Cameroon – Impatiens smetsiana – that was initially mistaken for the morphologically similar species I. erecticornis, an endemic from Central East Africa. Material and methods – A combined molecular-morphological approach was applied in which phylogenetics (ITS, ImpDEF1, and ImpDEF2), biogeography, and age estimation analyses were combined with morphological data on floral and vegetative structures. Key results – In this study, we demonstrate the close affinity of the newly collected material with a group of Equatorial West African species, including I. filicornu, I. nzabiana, I. oumina, and I. kamerunensis. The present finding represents a clear case of convergent evolution in which two distantly related taxa independently converged on practically the same flower morphology. Conclusion – Within Impatiens, several examples of floral homoplasy have been observed yet not in such a clear way. The convergent evolution of the flowers of I. smetsiana and I. erecticornis is undoubtedly closely correlated with an adaptation to a similar pollination syndrome.

Pre- and postzygotic mechanisms preventing hybridization in co-occurring species of the Impatiens purpureoviolacea complex.

In the species‐rich genus Impatiens, few natural hybrids are known, even though closely related species often occur sympatrically. In this study, we aim to bridge the gap between micro‐ and macro‐evolution to disentangle pre‐ and postzygotic mechanisms that may prevent hybridization in the Impatiens purpureoviolacea complex from Central Africa. We analyzed habitat types, species distribution, pollination syndromes, pollinator dependency, genome sizes, and chromosome numbers of seven out of the ten species of the complex as well as of one natural hybrid and reconstructed the ancestral chromosome numbers of the complex. Several species of the complex occur in sympatry or geographically very close to each other. All of them are characterized by pre‐ and/or postzygotic mechanisms potentially preventing hybridization. We found four independent polyploidization events within the complex. The only known natural hybrid always appears as single individual and is self‐fertile. But the plants resulting from self‐pollinated seeds often die shortly after first flowering. These results indicate that the investigated mechanisms in combination may effectively but not absolutely prevent hybridization in Impatiens and probably occur in other genera with sympatric species as well.

Notes on the extended distribution of Impatiens megamalayana, a recently described balsam in Western Ghats, India

Impatiens megamalayana is a recently described balsam from the Megamalai hills of the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu state. This is a small, annual herb with ridged stem, often distributed in open, wet, rocky grasslands above 1,000 m elevation. The plant considered endemic to the Megamalai hills of Tamil Nadu is recently located in the Urumbikkara hills of Idukki district in Kerala state, which is about 120 km away from its original locality. Urumbikkara is an emerging tourist destination in central Kerala and the newly located populations of the plant are outside protected forest areas and are facing severe threat due to anthrapogenic activities. A detailed description, photographs and distribution maps are provided to facilitate easy identification of the plant in the field. An updated checklist of the genus Impatiens in Kerala state is also furnished for future reference.

Evolution of Impatiens (Balsaminaceae) in the Albertine Rift – The endemic Impatiens purpureoviolacea complex consists of ten species

AbstractThe Albertine Rift harbours a highly diverse flora with numerous endemic species. An important component of the forest understorey is the herbaceous genus Impatiens. Fieldwork in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda as well as morphological studies indicated that the Albertine Rift endemic Impatiens purpureoviolacea represents a species complex. We analyzed the hidden diversity of the complex using morphological and molecular data supplemented by herbarium studies. We found that the Impatiens purpureoviolacea complex can be divided into morphologically and phylogenetically well characterized clades containing ten species and a natural hybrid. We describe all of these species, provide a species key and analyze their evolutionary history. Beside Impatiens purpureoviolacea and I. gesneroidea, the already described I. urundiensis is resurrected from synonymy. Two varieties, Impatiens purpureoviolacea var. longicalcarata and I. gesneroidea var. superglabra are raised to species status, and five new species (Impatiens elwiraurzulae, I. lotteri, I. ludewigii, I. lutzmannii, I. versicolor) and a new natural hybrid (I. ×troupinii) are described. Within the mostly insect‐pollinated species of the clade, two bird‐pollinated species (Impatiens gesneroidea, I. superglabra) evolved independently. The clade split from its sister taxon in the Pliocene and started diversifying during the Pliocene/Pleistocene transition in parallel to an increased mountain uplifting and volcanic activity in the Albertine Rift. It further diversified during the Pleistocene, likely due to the changes in forest cover and connectivity induced by climatic fluctuations.

Study on the Potential Application of Impatiens balsamina L. Flowers Extract as a Natural Colouring Ingredient in a Pastry Product.

Flowers of the genus Impatiens are classified as edible; however, their inclusion in the human diet is not yet a common practice. Its attractive colours have stirred great interest by the food industry. In this sense, rose (BP) and orange (BO) I. balsamina flowers were nutritionally studied, followed by an in-depth chemical study profile. The non-anthocyanin and anthocyanin profiles of extracts of both flower varieties were also determined by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to a diode array and mass spectrometry detector (HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS). The results demonstrated that both varieties presented significant amounts of phenolic compounds, having identified nine non-anthocyanin compounds and 14 anthocyanin compounds. BP extract stood out in its bioactive properties (antioxidant and antimicrobial potential) and was selected for incorporation in “bombocas” filling. Its performance as a colouring ingredient was compared with the control formulations (white filling) and with E163 (anthocyanins) colorant. The incorporation of the natural ingredient did not cause changes in the chemical and nutritional composition of the product; and although the colour conferred was lighter than presented by the formulation with E163 (suggesting a more natural aspect), the higher antioxidant activity could meet the expectations of the current high-demand consumer.

<strong><em>Impatiens ramasubbuana</em>, a new name for <em>Impatiens palniensis</em> Ramasubbu (Balsaminaceae)</strong>

The genus Impatiens Linnaeus (1753: 937) contains a wealth of untapped treasures for gardeners and it is one of the mega diverse genera of angiosperms comprise about 1059 species (POWO 2020). According to the recent estimate, India is known to have 250 species and majority of them occur in Eastern Himalayas (Gogoi et al. 2018) and the Western Ghats (Bhaskar 2012). Tamil Nadu is one of the plant-rich states in the country and with 5674 angiosperm taxa, it ranks first among all the states in the country (Lakshminarasimhan et al. 2014).

Pollen morphology of the genus Impatiens L. (Balsaminaceae) and its systematic implications

Pollen morphology of 18 species from the genus Impatiens collected from different localities in Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu was evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) during the period of February 2017 to November 2019. From the observation of pollen it was found to be structurally monad; prolate, sub-prolate and prolate-spheroidal in equatorial view; and circular, rectangular, triangular, quinquangular, elliptic and quadrangular in polar view. The apertures varied from dicolpate, tricolpate to tetracolpate. The main ornamentation type was reticulate in most of the species except Impatiens fruticosa which showed echinate ornamentation. The variations in pollen structure within the species were useful for the identification and classification of the genus Impatiens. The high structural diversity renders important taxonomic value for species differentiation.

A geographical perspective on the relationship between Impatiens spur lengths and bill lengths of sunbirds in Afrotropical mountains.

Trait matching—a correlation between the morphology of plants and their pollinators—has been frequently observed in pollination interactions. Different intensities of natural selection in individual regions should cause such correlations to be observable across different local assemblages. In this study, we focused on matching between spur lengths of the genus Impatiens and bill lengths of sunbirds in tropical Africa. For 25 mountain and island locations, we compiled information about the composition and traits of local Impatiens and sunbird assemblages. We found that assemblage mean and maximum values of bill lengths were positively correlated with mean and maximum spur lengths across locations. Moreover, our results suggest that the positive correlations hold only for forest sunbird assemblages sharing the same habitat with Impatiens species. We further show that long‐billed sunbirds seem to locally match the morphology of multiple Impatiens plant species, not vice versa. Our observation implies that trait matching significantly contributes to structuring of Impatiens–sunbird pollination systems. We suggest that special habitat preferences together with spatial isolation of mountain environment might play a role in this case.

Current status of genus Impatiens: Bioactive compounds and natural pigments with health benefits

The market for edible flowers has grown exponentially due to consumers demand. This has been motivated by the concern to include healthier foods in the daily diet, leading to a great interest in these natural matrices. However, and although the consumption of this type of matrices are popularly associated with health benefits, scientific studies are still scarce. The industry seeks to satisfy the consumers demands and, at the same time, seeks to launch new challenges in the sector, in order to outline new conservation and production strategies. Although there are several flowers with edible potential in nature, many are still little explored or unnoticed, so this type of study is increasingly sought after. The present review intendeds to explore the context of edible flowers as well as their conditions of production and consumption. Then, focusing on the characterization of the genus Impatiens , which, although is still little explored, gathers data on its chemical and nutritional characterization, bioactivities, and the possible exploration of natural pigments and industrial application. Several studies have been focused on the chemical characterization of flowers, evaluation their edibility, as well as validating their bioactive potential. In particular, the genus Impatiens is characterized by presenting perennial and succulent herbs with attractive colors, normally found in tropical forests. There are countless studies on the bioactive activities present in these edible flowers. In addition, its pigmentation has a direct relationship with the presence of several compounds, especially anthocyanins and their derivatives. These bioactive compounds have a great interest to the food industry and consumers, due to their diverse health benefits that are provided by their regular consumption. • Edible flowers are an emerging food class. • Impatiens are relevant renewable resource of bioactive compounds. • The genus Impatiens is a source of natural pigments of high industrial relevance. • Impatiens present several bioactivities, directly related to human health and well-being.