Impatiens noli-tangere (Western Jewelweed) - photos and description
General: Large annual wetland plants, with leafy stems, stems hollow. Plants glabrous.
Flowers: Pale yellow flowers, irregular shape consisting of a sac and curved spur, growing from the leaf axils. Flower length measured to 2.5 cm, lower lip 1.5 cm wide. Flowers beginning end of July, more common to see them in flower in August.
Leaves: Leaves ovate, alternate, irregularly toothed. Leaves measured to 7.5 cm long, 4 cm wide.
Height: Height listed in Budd's Flora to 150 cm, we measured plants to 75 cm.
Habitat: Wetlands, and marshy areas in thickets.
Abundance: Rare, ranked as an S2 (as of 2021) by the Saskatchewan Conservation Data Centre.
Origin: Native.
Similar species: Impatiens capensis has spotted, yellow-orange flowers not pale yellow flowers.
When and where photographed: The above photos were taken July 30th in a fen in the Qu'Appelle Valley, about 125 km east of our home in Regina, SK.