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Botanical Name:Impatiens capensis
Family:Balsaminaceae
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Subclass: Asteridae
Order: Ericales
Genus: Impatiens
Common names : impatiens, jewelweeds, and, somewhat ambigously, “balsams” and “touch-me-nots”.

Synonyms: Wild Balsam. Balsam-weed. Impatiens pallida. Pale-touch-me-not. Spottedtouch-me-not. Slipperweed. Silverweed. Wild Lady’s Slipper. Speckled Jewels. Wild Celandine. Quick-in-the-hand.
Part Used: Herb.
Habitat: Members of the genus Impatiens are found widely distributed in the north temperate zone and in South Africa, but the majority are natives of the mountains of tropical Asia and Africa.

Description:
Jewelweed is a genus of about 850–1,000 species of flowering plants.
Jewelweed is a smooth annual; 3-5 ft. Leaves oval, round- toothed; lower ones opposite, upper ones alternate. A bit trumpet shaped, the flowers hang from the plant much as a jewel from a necklace, Pale Jewelweed has yellow flowers, Spotted Touch-Me-Nots have orange flowers with dark red dots. The seeds will ‘pop’ when touched , that is where the name Touch-Me-Nots came from. The Spotted Jewelweed variety is most commonly used for rashes although the Pale Jewelweed may also have medicinal properties.
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Click to see more pictures of Jewelweed

The flowers, purple, yellow, pink and white, sometimes a showy scarlet, are spurred and irregular in form and are borne in the leaf axils.
The name Impatiens is derived from the fact that the seed-pod, when ripe, discharges the seeds by the elastic separation and uncoiling of the valves.

Under the name of Jewelweed the herbage of Impatiens aurea and of I. biflora are largely employed in domestic practice and by homoeopaths and eclectics.

The plants are tall and branching, tender and delicate succulent annuals, with swollen joints, growing in lowlying, damp, rather rich soil, beside streams and in similar damp localities.

They are smooth and somewhat glaucous, the stems somewhat translucent, the foliage showing a brilliant silvery surface when immersed in water, which will not adhere to the surface.

The leaves are thin, ovate oval, more or less toothed, of a tender green colour.

The slipper-shaped, yellow flowers, in bloom from July to September, have long recurved tails, those of the first-named species being of a uniform pale-yellow, those of the second species, orange-yellow, crowded with dark spots, hence its common name of Spotted-touch-me-not. The oblong capsules of both species when ripe explode under the slightest disturbance, scattering the seeds widely. Most of the popular names refer to this peculiarity, others to the shape of the flowers.
Some species are annual plants and produce flowers from early summer until the first frost, while perennial species, found in milder climates, can flower all year. Regardless of their lifespan, the largest impatiens grow up to about 2 meters (c. 7 ft) tall, but most are less than half as tall. The leaves are entire and shiny; their upperside has a thick, water-repellent cuticula that gives them a greasy feel. Particularly on the underside of the leaves, tiny air bubbles are trapped under the leaf surface, giving them a silvery sheen that becomes pronounced when held under water. The name “jewelweed” probably refers to these shiny leaves, particularly obvious after rains when water drops reflect the sunlight like a prism.

The flowers, up to 2–3 cm (around 1 inch) long, in most species are made up by a shoe- or horn-shaped spur for the most part, with at least the upper petals insignificant by comparison; some have a prominent labellum though, allowing pollinators to land. Others, like the Busy Lizzie (I. walleriana), have flattened flowers with large petals and just a tiny spur that appear somewhat similar to violets (Viola), though these are unrelated eudicots. A few Impatiens species have flowers quite intermediate between those two basic types.

These plants derives their scientific name Impatiens (Latin for “impatient”) and the common name “touch-me-not” in reference to their seed capsules. When the capsules mature, they “explode” when touched, sending seeds several meters away. This mechanism is also known as “explosive dehiscence”; see also Rapid plant movement.

Jewelweed blooms May through October in the eastern part of North America from Southern Canada to the northern part of Florida. It is found most often in moist woods, usually near poison ivy or stinging nettle. Jewelweed often grows on the edge of creek beds. It is difficult to transplant and seeds do not store well; it should not be cultivated as it becomes invasive and is spread by birds eating the seeds and other means that are hard to control. Jewelweed will take over areas and crowd out other important wild herbs. cultivation as its growth is easier to contain.

Cultivation: The preference is light shade to partial sun, wet to moist conditions, and a fertile soil with an abundance of organic material. Submergence of the roots by flood water is tolerated for up to 2 weeks without apparent ill-effects. Sometimes the leaves are affected by mildew late in the year. It is easy to start this plant from seed.

Uses:
As a rule-of-thumb, “jewelweed” is used exclusively for Nearctic species, “balsam” is usually applied to tropical species, and “touch-me-not” is typically used in Europe and North America. Some species commonly planted in horticulture have altogether more fanciful names, such as “Busy Lizzie” (the well-known I. walleriana).

The North American jewelweeds are often used as a home remedy to treat bee stings, insect bites, and particularly Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) and Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) rashes, but this seems to be based on little else but superstition. An oft-repeated folk saying, “Wherever poison ivy is found, jewelweed grows close by”, is not true. Poison ivy grows in a wide variety of habitats, while jewelweeds are restricted to moist bottomlands and valleys with rich soil. The reverse is often true on the other hand: wherever jewelweed is found, poison ivy is usually close by.

The Orange and the Yellow Jewelweed (I. pallida) have been subject to various scientific studies as regards their alleged effect against Poison Ivy contact dermatitis. Save for one study conducted in the 1950s, no significant and lasting antipruritic effect was found compared to other commonly-used treatments.

The fresh juice of the herb appears to relieve cutaneous irritation of various kinds, especially that due to Rhus poisoning.

A yellow dye has been made from the flowers.

Constituents: The chemical constituents are not known, though the leaves apparently contain tannin, which causes them to be employed as an outward application for piles, proving an excellent remedy, the freshly gathered plants being boiled in lard and an ointment made of them.

Medical significance and phytochemistry:

The herbs have an acrid, burning taste and act strongly as emetics, cathartics and diuretics, but are considered dangerous, their use having been termed ‘wholly questionable.’

The North American jewelweeds are often used as a home remedy to treat bee stings, insect bites, and particularly Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) and Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) rashes, but this seems to be based on little else but superstition. An oft-repeated folk saying, “Wherever poison ivy is found, jewelweed grows close by”, is not true. Poison ivy grows in a wide variety of habitats, while jewelweeds are restricted to moist bottomlands and valleys with rich soil. The reverse is often true on the other hand: wherever jewelweed is found, poison ivy is usually close by.

The Orange and the Yellow Jewelweed (I. pallida) have been subject to various scientific studies as regards their alleged effect against Poison Ivy contact dermatitis. Save for one study conducted in the 1950s, no significant and lasting antipruritic effect was found compared to other commonly-used treatments.

Unspecified Impatiens is one of the traditional 83 Bach flower remedies, supposedly alleviating impatience, and is contained in the “Rescue Remedy” or “Five Flower Remedy” touted as an anxiolytic. There is no indication that Bach flower remedies are more effective than a placebo.

All Impatiens taste bitter and seem to be contain slightly toxic upon ingestion, causing intestinal ailments like vomiting and diarrhea. The toxic compounds have not been identified but are probably the same as those resonsible for the bitter taste; they might be glycosides or alkaloids.

?-Parinaric acid, a polyunsaturated fatty acid discovered in the seeds of the Makita Tree (Atuna racemosa), is together with linolenic acid the predominant component of the seed fat of Garden Balsam (I. balsamina), and perhaps other species of Impatiens. This is quite intriguing from a phylogenetic perspective, since the Makita Tree is a member of the Chrysobalanaceae and belongs to a lineage of eudicots entirely distinct from the balsams.

At least certain jewelweeds and the Garden Balsam contain the naphthoquinone lawsone, a dye that is also found in Henna (Lawsonia inermis) and responsible for the hair coloring and skin coloring in mehndi. In ancient China, Impatiens petals mashed with rose and orchid petals and alum were used as nail polish: after leaving the mixture on the nails for some hours, it will color them a pink to reddish hue. Similar to the case of ?-Parinaric acid, the henna plant is a Lythraceae and as such also not closely related to the balsams.

Note that the “balsams” used in shampoos (Peru balsam and Tolu balsam) are derived from the unrelated genus Myroxylon, as are Canada balsam (from the Balsam Fir, Abies balsamea) and Balsam of Mecca (from Commiphora gileadensis).

Other Popular Species:
The only species of Impatiens found wild in Europe is I. Noli-me-tangere, an annual, succulent herb about a foot high, with yellow flowers, in bloom in July and August, the lateral petals spotted with red (by cultivation, changing often to pale yellow and purplish).

This is our native ‘Touch-me-not’ or ‘Quick-in-hand.’ Although uncommon, it is to be found wild in moist mountainous districts in North Wales, Lancashire and Westmorland and occasionally in moist, shady places and by the banks of rivulets in other counties.

The plant will grow in cultivation, delighting in a moist soil and partially-shaded situations; the seeds being sown in autumn, soon after they are ripe. When once established, the plant will scatter its own seeds.

The whole plant is rather acrid, so that no animal except the goat will touch it.

It was formerly considered to have diuretic and vulnerary properties and was given to relieve haemorrhoids and strangury.

Boerhaave, the famous Dutch physician (1668-1738), considered it poisonous.

I. balsamina, the Common Balsam of gardens, a well-known annual, is a native of India, China and Japan. It is one of the showiest of summer and autumn flowers and of comparatively easy cultivation.

In the East, the natives use the prepared juice for dyeing their nails red.

I. Roylei, a tall, hardy, succulent annual, with rose-purple flowers, a Himalayan species, is common in England as a self-sown garden plant or garden escape.

I. Sultani, a handsome plant, with scarlet flowers, a native of Zanzibar, is easily grown in a greenhouse throughout the summer, but requires warmth in winter.

I. Cornuta, the ‘Horned Balsam,’ has long nectaries to its flowers, the spurs being three times as long as the corollas. In Ceylon it is called the ‘Swallow-leaf.’

The whole plant is fragrant and in CochinChina, where it is a common garden weed, a decoction of the leaves is used as a hairwash, imparting a very sweet odour.

The ‘Balsam Apple’ is not related to the Impatiens, but is the fruit of Momordica balsamina.

Disclaimer:The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewelweed

http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/j/jewelw08.html

http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/wetland/plants/or_jewelweed.htm

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