Southern KZN CREW target species of the month - November

Impatiens flanaganiae BALSAMINACEAE [Vulnerable]

A rare tuberous species may be known as Giant Pink busy lizzy or Mrs Flanagan’s impatiens. It is known from a few localities near Port St. Johns, Eastern Cape, South Africa. It can also be found in less well-known locations in central southern KwaZulu-Natal, such as Pondoland and southern KwaZulu-Natal, growing in shade, usually on boulders on steep slopes or near the base of waterfalls, mostly on sandstone.

It is threatened by harvesting for medicinal use, alien plant invasion and water extraction from river systems.  

It is a soft perennial herb that forms tubers to enable it to go dormant during dry season. It grows up to 1 m tall, in colonies. Tubers can grow to 6 inches long. Stems are fleshy, upright, branched, reddish, dying back in winter. Leaves large, longer than broad, gradually narrowing to a tip, margins toothed, stalks 10–45 mm. Flowers with side petals, rosy pink with yellow markings inside. It flowers from November to January. The flowers make their appearance in the summer and autumn along the tops of the stems. It is reported that under conditions of excessive heat the plant continues to grow but flowers abort. 

If you have seen this plant, please contact Mbali Mkhize, CREW programme: KZN Node Project Assistant m.mkhize@botanicalsociety.org.za

References:

Pooley, E. 1998. A field guide to wildflowers KwaZulu-Natal and the eastern region. Natal Flora Publications Trust, Durban.

Von Staden, L., Victor, J.E. & Cloete, E. 2006. Impatiens flanaganiae Hemsl. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2015.1. Accessed on 2015/10/22 Impatiens flanaganiae [online].  Available from: http://www.strangewonderfulthings.com/188.htm. [Accessed on 2015/10/22] Impatiens flanaganiae [online].  Available from: http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/Impatiens [Accessed on 2015/10/27] Scott-Shaw, C.R. 1999. Rare and threatened plants of KwaZulu-Natal and neighbouring regions. KwaZulu-Natal Nature Conservation Service, Pietermaritzburg. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Argyrolobium longifolium FABACEAE [Vulnerable] Twiggy subshrub, up to 1.5 m tall, upright, sparingly branched below. Distributed around Pietermaritzburg to Tugela and Port Shepstone, growing in sandstone grassland. The species is quite likely also more common in suitable sandstone grasslands elsewhere within southern KwaZulu-Natal.  Leaf surface smooth; sparsely silky, with closely-lying soft straight hairs and shiny silky sheen at the lower surface of the leaf. Inflorescence almost directed to the same side, up to 20-flowered. It flowers from September to February. Calyx (outer-most whorl of floral organs) are silky with closely appressed soft straight hairs and shiny silky sheen, deeply two-lipped, upper lip incipiently double toothed, 9−12 mm long, lower lip 10−14 mm long. Corolla lemon yellow, becoming black in drying plants. Fruits are linear, flattened between seeds. Argyrolobium longifolium (Photo Alison Young) Argyrolobium longifolium (Photo Alison Young) If you have seen this plant, please contact Mbali Mkhize, CREW programme: KZN Node Project Assistant m.mkhize@botanicalsociety.org.za References: Edwards, T.J. 1994. South African Journal of Botany 60(1): 39−43. Edwards, T.J., Raimondo, D. & von Staden, L. 2014. Argyrolobium longifolium (Meisn.) Walp. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2015.1. Accessed on 2015/10/22