Impatiens latifolia Linnaeus (1753: 937)

Singh, Rajeev Kumar, 2017, Lectotypification of three Linnaean names in Impatiens (Balsaminaceae), Phytotaxa 321 (3), pp. 299-300 : 299-300

3. Impatiens latifolia Linnaeus (1753: 937) .

Type (lectotype, designated here):— INDIA. Without locality, s.d., Anon. s.n. ( LINN-HL 1053-2 [digital image!]).

Epitype, designated here:— INDIA. Plate XLVIII in Rheede tot Draakestein (1689).

Notes:—The protologue of Impatiens latifolia consists of a short diagnosis, one synonym cited from Rheede (1689: 91) and a short description. The provenance was also provided as “Habitat in India ”. The illustration of Rheede (1689: t. 48) is original material for the name I. latifolia Linnaeus. Only one specimen relevant to the Linnaean name I. latifolia is kept at LINN ( LINN-HL 1053-2) which is annotated by Linnaeus as “2 latifolia ”. The number 2 corresponds to the Species Plantarum number of this species. Therefore, it is designated here as the lectotype for the name I. latifolia Linnaeus.

The specimen LINN-HL 1053-2 is not well preserved, represented only by fragments of three leaves and one flower. It does not show all the characters of leaves and flower as mentioned in the protologue, especially peduncle and spur. This implies that the type specimen was previously more complete at the time of Linnaeus or he might have described I. latifolia both with help of specimen LINN-HL 1053-2 and the illustration of Rheede (1689: t. 48). I. latifolia is morphologically similar to I. leschenaultii ( Candolle 1824: 686) Wight & Arnott (1834: 136) and these two species may be confused. The latter species also has ovate-lanceolate leaves with crenate-serrate margins and flowers axillary, solitary or in fascicles. I. latifolia can be distinguished from the latter in having large-sized flower and spur as long as pedicel. Therefore, the lectotype of I. latifolia cannot be used for precise identification and application of the name. Thus, Rheede’s icon was chosen as an epitype for this name to serve as an interpretative type material, since this drawing clearly depicts the taxon as recognised today.