- According to the book published by the Botanical Survey of India, between 2010 and 2019, botanists and taxonomists working on Impatiens — a group of plants commonly known as Balsams or jewel-weeds — discovered 23 new species from the eastern Himalayas.
- Newly discovered species consist of both annual and perennial herbs.
- The book presents 83 species, one variety, one naturalised species and two cultivated species of Balsams.
- Of the 83 species described, 45 are from Arunachal Pradesh, 24 from Sikkim and 16 species common to both states.
About Balsams
- Balsams are succulent plants with high endemism.
- Because of their bright beautiful flowers, these group of plants are of prized horticultural significance.
- There are about 230 species of Balsams found in India and majority of them are found in the eastern Himalayas and Western Ghats.
- As per the scientists, in lower Dibang valley in Arunachal Pradesh, at least six Balsam species are confined. These are:
- I. adamowskiana,
- I. debalgensis,
- I. albopetala,
- I. ashihoi,
- I. idumishmiensis,
- I. rugosipetala)
- Some species of Balsams highlighted in the publication such as (I. lohitensis, I. pathakiana, I. pseudolaevigata, I. siangensis, I. xanthina) have high horticulture due to presence of big showy flowers.
- Most of the species of Impatiens cannot endure persistent drought or extended exposure to direct sunlight. As a result Impatiens species are typically confined to stream margins, moist roadsides, waterside boulders, near waterfalls and wet forests
