Impatiens is a vast genus of well over a thousand described species with a wide distribution in the Northern Hemisphere and extensions into sub-equatorial Africa, India, Ceylon, and southeastern Asia where the genus extends to New Guinea. Among gardeners, Impatiens is the best known member of the family Balsaminaceae, and the only one with commonly cultivated members. Two non-bulbous species are commonly cultivated: Impatiens walleriana, familiarly known as impatiens or Bizzie Lizzie which originated in Africa, and Impatiens hawkeri, the main parent of the plants known as New Guinea impatiens.
Impatiens flanaganae is a rare tuberous species known only from a few localities near Port St Johns, South Africa. Tubers are a startling rose-red color. Plants grow to 2 to 3 ft and bloom in a cool greenhouse. They resent summer heat. John Grimshaw had a good discussion on some of the geophytic members of the genus on the pbs list. The following three photos are by James Murrain.
Impatiens tinctoria subsp. elegantissima is shown here in a photograph provided by John Grimshaw taken in the wild at 2410m on Mt. Kenya, Kenya. This is a species which produces root tubers. The species gets its specific epithet tinctoria (Latin, relating to dyers) from its use as a skin dye. John provided this information from the Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea. "This remarkable work says: 'Women cook and pound the tubers into a paste which has a strong red dye in it. The paste is applied to the palms of the hands and to the feet where it turns the skin and nails black and shiny. This treatment helps control fungal infections as well as toughen the skin. It is considered a beauty treatment similar to that of henna.'"
