IMPATIENS N o li me tangere»
Y ellow Balfam .
P E N T A N D R IA Monogynia.
G e n . C h a r . Cor. o f 5 p etals, irregu la r, with an hood-
fhaped n e é la r y . Antheroe flig h t ly connected.
Capfule fuperior, o f 5 e laftic valve s . Cal. o f 2
leaves.
Spec. C har. Flower-ftalks folitary, bearing many
flowers^ Leaves ovate. Joints of the ftem
fwelling.
Syn. Impatiens Noli me tangere. Linn. Sp. PI.
13 2 9 . Sm. FI. B rit. 2 4 4 . Hudf. 380. With. 263.
Hull. 19 2 .
Balfamine lutea, five Noli me tangere. Rail Syn. 316.
I x A Y mentions this elegant plant as a native of feveral
places in Weftmoreland, Lancathire, York (hire, and Wales.
W e have feen it plentifully about the north end of Winan-
dermere, in watery fpots. It will fucceed well in fhady gardens,
fcattering its feeds fpontaneoufly with more fuccefs than
i f fown by the hand. We have been obliged now to have
recourfe to a garden fpecimen, (differing in no refpeft from
wild ones,) the herb being fo delicate, and from the quick
evaporation of its juices liable to wither fo very foon, that it
could not have been, obtained frefh from any great diftance.
The root is annual, branched, flefhy, fpreading horizontally.
Stem folitary, ere&, about 2 feet high, branched, leafy, round,
fucculent, very fmooth and polifhed. Leaves alternate, on
footftalks, ovate, obtufe, ferrated, fmooth, veiny. Villars fays
they become flaccid and as if withered, during the night, but
we have found them otherwife in a garden. Flowerftalks
axillary and branched, bearing 4 or 5 large handfome pendulous
flowers, yellow fpottea internally with red, confiding
of a horn-fhaped neftary, 1 upper petal, and 2 large lateral
lobed ones, accompanied at the bafe by 2 fmall entire petals
united to them. Antherse united at their bafes rather than
their fummits. The elaftic valves of the capfule, when ripe,
curl up, and fly afunder on the flighted: touch, whence the
common name Touch me not.