Impatiens pallida

Pale Touch-Me-Not, Jewel-Weed, Snap-Weed, Balsam

Created by Julia Poole

E-Mail Address: JEP@arches.uga.edu


Photo courtesy of The University of Georgia Herbarium

additional images

Higher Taxa:

As listed by Cronquist's System

(Mabberley 1987)

Identification: In Flora of the Rocky Mountians and Adjacent Plains by P.A. Rydberg, Ph.D. Impatiens Pallida is described as follows:

Stem usually light green, 1-2 m high; leaf-blades thin, bright green, oval or ovate, 3-15 cm long, crenate-dentate; lateral sepals broadly ovate, acuminate, light green, 5-7 mm long; posterior sepal light sulfur-yellow, usually unspotted, broadly conic, about 15 mm long, spur 3-8 mm long; petals of the same color as the spur or lighter, usually dotted, the anterior one broadly obovate, emarginate 7-8 mm long. (Rydberg 1969)
Thomas Nuttall, a British naturalist and pioneer scientific explorer of the United States, was the first to describe Impatiens pallida. After 1918, Thomas Nuttall presented "the complete series of his plants to the Herbarium of Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania".(Staflen & Cowan 1976) Thomas Nuttall wrote many books concerning his travels and explorations in the United States. It is probable that Nuttall included a description of I. palida in A Catalogue of a Collection of Plants Made Chiefly in the Valleys of the Rocky Mountians which was published in 1834.

Geography:

Table I: North American Distribution of I. capensis

Impatiens capensis

AREA STATUS REFERENCES
North America:
Continental United States; Canada		 Yes Godfrey & Wooten 1981
Eastern North America:
United States east of Mississippi;
Ontario and eastern Canada		 Yes Godfrey & Wooten 1981
Southeastern United States:
AL AR DE DC FL GA KY MD NC SC TN VA WV		 Yes Godfrey & Wooten 1981
Southern Appalachian States:
AL GA KY MD NC SC TN VA WV		 Yes Godfrey & Wooten 1981
Coastal Plain No Jones & Coile, 1988
Piedmont No Jones & Coile, 1988
Blue Ridge Mountains Yes Chester, Wofford, & Kral 1997
Great Smoky Mountains National Park Yes Chester, Wofford, & Kral 1997
Ridge and Valley Yes Chester, Wofford, & Kral 1997
Cumberland Plateau No Jones & Coile, 1988
Central Arch ? -
Georgia Yes Jones & Coile, 1988
Clarke County, Georgia No Jones & Coile, 1988
Sams Farm No Julia Poole, Pers.Ob.
Old Field No Julia Poole, Pers. Ob.
Wetland No Julia Poole, Pers. Ob.
Woods No Julia Poole, Pers. Ob.
1-Hectare Plot No Julia Poole, Pers. Ob.


Natural History: The Impatiens are annuals. In gardens, "soil should be rich in organic matter to retain moisture, lightly fertilized with 5-10-5 before planting, and lots of water should be applied. Mulch can be added to aid in moisture retention. These plants row well in shade. They bloom continuously from mid-summer to fall and tolerate a wide range of climates."(Horan &Mason 1988)

How to Encounter: I. pallida is found in wet woods and meadows. It has been seen near or on river and stream banks in the foothills of South Carolina (Julia Poole, Pers. Ob.). Jewel-Weed's tell-tale sign is the leaves changing to a silver hue when submerged in water.

References:

  1. Chester, Edward, Wofford, Eugene B., & Kral, Robert. 1997. Atlas of Tennessee Vascular Plants. Vol.2. The Center for Field Biology. Clarksville, Tennessee.

  2. Godfrey, Robert K. & Wooten, Jean W. 1981. Aquatic and Wetland Plants of the Southeastern United States. The University of Georgia Press. Athens, Georgia.

  3. Horan, Anne & Mason, Robert G. 1988. The Time-Life Gardener's Guide: Annuals. Time-Life Books, Inc. Alexandria, Virginia.

  4. Jones, Samuel B. & Coile, Nancy. 1988. The Distribution of the Vascular Flora of Georgia. The University of Georgia, Department of Botany. Athens, Georgia.

  5. Mabberley, D.J. 1987. The Plant Book: A Portable Dictionary of the Higher Plants. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge, Massachusetts.

  6. Rydberg, P.A., Ph D. 1969. Flora of the Rocky Mountains and Adjacent Plains. Hafner Publishing Company. New York, New York.

  7. Staflen, Frans A. & Cowan, Richard S. 1976. Taxanomic Literature. Vol. 3. Bohn, Scheltema, & Holkema. Utrecht, Netherlands.