BALSAMINACEAE

 

 

Herbaceous plants, epiphytic, Leaves alternate, opposite or in whorls, simple usually estipulate; flowers bisexual, zygomorphic, solitary, often resupinate, spurred the calyx zygomorphic, the sepals 3-5, imbricate, often petaloid, the posterior very large and saclike and gradually prolonged backward into a tubular nectiferous spur, the petals 5, stamens 5 hypogynous, anthers, 2 celled, pistil 2, ovary superior 5 loculed, the placentation axile, ovules 3 to many on each placenta, stigmas 1-5; fruit a fleshy 5 valved capsule, explosively dehiscing; the valves coil elastically, and on splitting the tension forcibly distributes the seeds; seeds with straight embryo and no endosperm. Pentamerous.   

India is centres of origin for the genus Impatiens.