Impatiens capensis

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Orange jewelweed
Potapsco fg13.jpg
Status TNC G5.svg
Secure  (NatureServe) [2]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Balsaminaceae
Genus: Impatiens
Species:
I. capensis
Binomial name
Impatiens capensis
Synonyms

Impatiens bifloraWalter
Impatiens fulvaNutt.

Impatiens capensis, the orange jewelweed, common jewelweed, spotted jewelweed, jewelweed, [3] spotted touch-me-not, or orange balsam, [4] is an annual plant in the family Balsaminaceae that is native to North America. [5] It is common in bottomland soils, ditches, and along creeks, often growing side by side with its less common relative, yellow jewelweed (I. pallida).

Contents

Description

Flowers and leaves Orange Jewelweed, Ottawa.jpg
Flowers and leaves

Jewelweed is an herbaceous plant that grows 0.9–1.5 m (3–5 ft) tall and blooms from late spring to early fall. The flowers are orange (sometimes blood orange or rarely yellow) with a three-lobed corolla; one of the calyx lobes is colored similarly to the corolla and forms a hooked conical spur at the back of the flower. Plants may also produce non-showy cleistogamous flowers, which do not require cross-pollination. [6]

It often branches extensively. The round stems are glabrous (smooth) and succulent, [7] and semi-translucent, with swollen or darkened nodes on some plants. The leaves, which measure up to 13 cm (5 in) long and 6 cm (2.5 in) across, are alternate on the upper stems and opposite on the lower stems (when present). The leaves are ovate to elliptic, simple, and have shallow, rounded teeth on the margins. [8] The seed pods have five valves which coil back rapidly to eject the seeds in a process called explosive dehiscence [9] or ballistochory. This reaction is where the name 'touch-me-not' comes from; in mature seed pods, dehiscence can easily be triggered with a light touch.

Distribution

Impatiens capensis was transported in the 19th and 20th centuries to England, France, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Finland, and potentially other areas of northern and central Europe. These naturalized populations persist in the absence of any common cultivation by people. This jewelweed species is quite similar to Impatiens noli-tangere , an Impatiens species native to Europe and Asia, as well as the other North American Impatiens. No evidence exists of natural hybrids, although the habitats occupied by the two species are very similar.[ citation needed ]

In the State of Washington, Impatiens capensis is considered a class C noxious weed due to its rapid spread and tendency to outcompete native jewelweeds. [10] It has also formed a hybrid species with the native jewelweed Impatiens ecornuta . [11]

Uses

As food

The young shoots can be boiled (with two changes of water) as a potherb; eating too much is not recommended as the plant contains calcium oxalate crystals. [12] The seeds are also edible. [12]

Medicinal

Along with other species of jewelweed, the juice of the leaves and stems is a traditional Native American remedy for skin rashes, including poison ivy. [13] [14] The effectiveness of its use to prevent the development of a rash after short-term exposure to poison ivy has been supported by peer-reviewed study, and is likely due to the plant containing saponins. [15] [16] These studies also found that some individuals have a sensitivity to jewelweed which can cause a more severe rash.

The stem juice has also been used to treat athlete's foot; its fungicidal qualities have been scientifically verified. [17]

Etymology

The leaves appear to be silver or 'jeweled' when held underwater, which is possibly where the jewelweed name comes from. Another possible source of the name is the color and shape of the bright robin's egg-blue kernels of the green projectile seeds.[ citation needed ] Both the genus name Impatiens ("impatience" in Latin) and common name spotted touch-me-not refer to how its seeds when ripe pop open on touch. [18]

The species name capensis, meaning "of the cape", is actually a misnomer, as Nicolaas Meerburgh was under the mistaken impression that it was native to the Cape of Good Hope, in southern Africa. [19]

Pollination

A carpenter bee feeding on jewelweed Impatiens capensis with bumblebee.jpg
A carpenter bee feeding on jewelweed

Nectar spurs are tubular elongations of petals and sepals of certain flowers that usually contain nectar. Flowers of Impatiens capensis have these nectar spurs. Nectar spurs are thought to have played a role in plant-pollinator coevolution. Curvature angles of nectar spurs of Impatiens capensis are variable. This angle varies from 0 degrees to 270 degrees. [20]

The angle of the nectar spur is very important in the pollination of the flower and in determining the most efficient pollinator. Hummingbirds are major pollinators. They remove more pollen per visit from flowers with curved nectar spurs than with perpendicular nectar spurs. [20] But hummingbirds are not the only pollinators of Impatiens capensis. Bees, especially bumblebees play an important role in pollination as well. Due to hummingbirds and bees, the pollination of Impatiens capensis is very high. [21]

Related Research Articles

<i>Aquilegia</i> Genus of perennial plants (columbine)

Aquilegia is a genus of about 60–70 species of perennial plants that are found in meadows, woodlands, and at higher altitudes throughout the Northern Hemisphere, known for the spurred petals of their flowers.

<i>Heliconia</i> Genus of plants

Heliconia is a genus of flowering plants in the monotypic family Heliconiaceae. Most of the 194 known species are native to the tropical Americas, but a few are indigenous to certain islands of the western Pacific and Maluku in Indonesia. Many species of Heliconia are found in the tropical forests of these regions. Most species are listed as either vulnerable or data deficient by the IUCN Red List of threatened species. Several species are widely cultivated as ornamentals, and a few are naturalized in Florida, Gambia, and Thailand.

<i>Impatiens</i> Genus of flowering plants

Impatiens is a genus of more than 1,000 species of flowering plants, widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere and the tropics. Together with the genus Hydrocera, Impatiens make up the family Balsaminaceae.

<i>Impatiens glandulifera</i> Species of plant

Impatiens glandulifera, Himalayan balsam, is a large annual plant native to the Himalayas. Via human introduction it is now present across much of the Northern Hemisphere and is considered an invasive species in many areas. Uprooting or cutting the plants is an effective means of control.

<i>Aquilegia canadensis</i> Common North American species of columbine

Aquilegia canadensis, the Canadian or Canada columbine, eastern red columbine, or wild columbine, is a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae. It is an herbaceous perennial native to woodland and rocky slopes in eastern North America, prized for its red and yellow flowers. It readily hybridizes with other species in the genus Aquilegia.

<i>Aesculus flava</i> Species of tree

Aesculus flava, also known commonly as the common buckeye, the sweet buckeye, and the yellow buckeye, is a species of deciduous tree in the subfamily Hippocastanoideae of the family Sapindaceae. The species is native to the Ohio Valley and Appalachian Mountains of the Eastern United States. It grows in mesophytic forest or floodplains, generally in acid to circumneutral soil, reaching a height of 20m to 48m.

<i>Impatiens noli-tangere</i> Species of flowering plant

Impatiens noli-tangere is an annual herbaceous plant in the family Balsaminaceae found in damp places in Europe, Asia and North America. The yellow flowers are followed by pods which forcefully explode when ripe, ejecting the seeds for some distance.

<i>Impatiens balsamina</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Balsaminaceae

Impatiens balsamina, commonly known as balsam, garden balsam, rose balsam, touch-me-not or spotted snapweed, is a species of plant native to India and Myanmar.

<i>Impatiens pallida</i> Species of flowering plant

Impatiens pallida, with the common names pale jewelweed, pale touch-me-not, or yellow jewelweed, is a flowering annual plant in the family Balsaminaceae native to Canada and the United States. It grows in moist to wet soils, generally alongside the closely related Impatiens capensis, producing flowers from midsummer through fall.

<i>Impatiens sakeriana</i> Species of flowering plant

Impatiens sakeriana is a perennial species of flowering plant in the family Balsaminaceae. It is native to Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea and grows in mountain forest understory habitat at elevations up to 3000 meters. I. sakeriana is most often cited for its role in sunbird pollination. It can be locally common in parts of its range, but its habitat is threatened by agriculture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chasmogamy</span> Flowers with exposed reproductive parts

Chasmogamy is the type of plant reproduction in which the flowers open up, enabling cross-pollination. This is in contrast to cleistogamy, in which the flowers stay closed and self-pollinate.

<i>Impatiens parviflora</i> Species of flowering plant

Impatiens parviflora is a species of annual herbaceous plants in the family Balsaminaceae, native to some areas of Eurasia, naturalized elsewhere and found in damp shady places. Impatiens parviflora can grow in sandy, loamy, and clay soils and prefer moist soil.

<i>Chamaecrista fasciculata</i> Species of plant

Chamaecrista fasciculata, the partridge pea, is a species of legume native to most of the eastern United States. It is an annual which grows to approximately 0.5 meters tall. It has bright yellow flowers from early summer until first frost, with flowers through the entire flowering season if rainfall is sufficient.

<i>Impatiens balfourii</i> Species of orchid

Impatiens balfourii is a species of the genus Impatiens known by the common names Balfour's touch-me-not, Kashmir balsam, and poor man's orchid. It belongs to the family Balsaminaceae.

<i>Lilium occidentale</i> Species of lily

Lilium occidentale is a rare North American species of lily known by the common name western lily. Its species name 'Occidentale' means 'westernmost' and refers to its location along the West Coast. It is native to northwestern California and southwestern Oregon. It grows in coastal prairie habitat, swamps and stagnant bogs with Drosera species, bluffs and sandy cliffs, and seaside spruce forests. This rare wildflower is limited in distribution and directly endangered by a number of environmental factors. It is a federally listed endangered species and it is listed as endangered by the states of California and Oregon.

<i>Impatiens sodenii</i> Species of flowering plant

Impatiens sodenii is a species of flowering plant in the family Balsaminaceae known by the common names poor man's rhododendron, Oliver's touch-me-not, and shrub balsam. It is native to Kenya and Tanzania, and widely cultivated as an ornamental plant.

<i>Monarda bradburiana</i> Species of flowering plant

Monarda bradburiana, the eastern beebalm or Bradbury's beebalm, is a species of perennial flowering plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae, that is native to much of the southeastern United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nectar spur</span>

A nectar spur is a hollow extension of a part of a flower. The spur may arise from various parts of the flower: the sepals, petals, or hypanthium, and often contain tissues that secrete nectar (nectaries). Nectar spurs are present in many clades across the angiosperms, and are often cited as an example of convergent evolution.

<i>Impatiens pseudoviola</i> Species of plant in the genus Impatiens

Impatiens pseudoviola, commonly known as the jewelweed and touch me not, is a species of flowering plant in the family Balsaminaceae, native to Kenya and Tanzania.

<i>Impatiens aurella</i> Species of flowering plant

Impatiens aurella, also known as the Idaho jewelweed, mountain jewelweed, varied jewelweed, or pale yellow touch-me-not, is a species of flowering plant in the family Balsaminaceae. It is found in northwest North America up through British Columbia, Canada. It produces a yellow-orange flower during the blooming months of late June/early July through September. The plant is an annual herb that grows to just over 1 m tall. As a member of the genus Impatiens it is also a touch-me-not, a herbaceous plant that has a ripe seed capsule that will explode. The flowers are considered toxic, and should not be ingested. Once cultivated, the plant has medicinal properties to help in the treatment of warts, ringworm, nettle stings, and poison ivy rash. Additional research suggests yellow dye and shampoo for itchy scalps may be possible from this species.

References

  1. ↑ Maiz-Tome, L. (2016). "Impatiens capensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T64314821A67729731. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T64314821A67729731.en . Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  2. ↑ NatureServe (1 September 2023). "Impatiens capensis". NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data accessed through NatureServe Explorer. Arlington, Virginia: NatureServe. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  3. ↑ Dickinson, T.; Metsger, D.; Bull, J.; Dickinson, R. (2004). ROM Field Guide to Wildflowers of Ontario. Toronto: Royal Ontario Museum and McClelland and Stewart Ltd. p. 197.
  4. ↑ BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
  5. ↑ Ceska, Dr. A. (21 April 2009). "Botanical Electronic News, No. 408" . Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  6. ↑ Hilty, John (2020). "Orange Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis)". Illinois Wildflowers.
  7. ↑ "Orange Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis)". www.illinoiswildflowers.info.
  8. ↑ "Know Your Natives – Spotted Jewelweed". Arkansas Native Plant Society. 31 July 2015.
  9. ↑ Hayashi, Marika; Feilich, Kara; Ellerby, David (May 2009). "The mechanics of explosive seed dispersal in orange jewelweed (Impatiens capensis)". Journal of Experimental Botany. 60 (7): 2045–2046. doi:10.1093/jxb/erp070. PMC   2682495 . PMID   19321647.
  10. ↑ "Spotted Jewelweed". Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board. Washington State. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  11. ↑ Zika, Peter (Sep 2006). "Impatiens ×pacifica (Balsaminaceae), a New Hybrid Jewelweed from the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America". Novon: A Journal for Botanical Nomenclature. 16 (3): 443–448. doi:10.3417/1055-3177(2006)16[443:IPBANH]2.0.CO;2. S2CID   83544635.
  12. 1 2 Elias, Thomas S.; Dykeman, Peter A. (2009) [1982]. Edible Wild Plants: A North American Field Guide to Over 200 Natural Foods. New York: Sterling. p. 119. ISBN   978-1-4027-6715-9. OCLC   244766414.
  13. ↑ Smith, Huron H. (1933). "Ethnobotany of the Forest Potawatomi Indians". Bulletin of the Public Museum of the City of Milwaukee. 7: 42.
  14. ↑ Fagan, Damian (2019). Wildflowers of Oregon: A Field Guide to Over 400 Wildflowers, Trees, and Shrubs of the Coast, Cascades, and High Desert. Guilford, CT: FalconGuides. p. 227. ISBN   978-1-4930-3633-2. OCLC   1073035766.
  15. ↑ Motz, Vicki; Bowers, Christopher; Kneubehl, Alexander; Lendrum, Elizabeth; Young, Linda; Kinder, David (2015). "Efficacy of the saponin component of Impatiens capensis Meerb. in preventing urushiol-induced contact dermatitis". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 162: 163–7. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2014.12.024. PMID   25543019.
  16. ↑ Motz; Bowers; Young; Kinder (2012). "The effectiveness of jewelweed, Impatiens capensis, the related cultivar I. balsamina and the component, lawsone in preventing post poison ivy exposure contact dermatitis". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 143 (1): 314–318. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2012.06.038. PMID   22766473.
  17. ↑ Niering, William A.; Olmstead, Nancy C. (1985) [1979]. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers, Eastern Region. Knopf. p. 414. ISBN   0-394-50432-1.
  18. ↑ "Wildflowers of the Adirondacks: Spotted Touch-Me-Not (Impatiens capensis)". ADIRONDACKS FOREVER WILD. Wild Adirondacks. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
  19. ↑ Strausbaugh, P.D.; Core, E. L. (1964). Flora of West Virginia (2nd ed.). Seneca Books. p. 622. ISBN   978-0-89092-010-7.
  20. 1 2 Travers, Steven E; Temeles, Ethan J; Pan, Irvin (2003). "The relationship between nectar spur curvature in jewelweed (Impatiens capensis) and pollen removal by hummingbird pollinators". Canadian Journal of Botany. 81 (2): 164–70. doi:10.1139/b03-014.
  21. ↑ Elemans, Marjet (2004). "Light, nutrients and the growth of herbaceous forest species". Acta Oecologica. 26 (3): 197–202. Bibcode:2004AcO....26..197E. doi:10.1016/j.actao.2004.05.003.
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