Jewel-Weed.Impatiens fulva.Spotted Touch-me-not.Lady’s Ear-Drop.Balsam.
Found in moist and shaded places from July to September.
This large, branching, leafy plant, from 1 to 3 or 4 feet in height, is weak-fibred and juicy; its stalk is slightly ribbed, and swollen at the joints, very smooth, and a pale reddish-green.
The large oval leaf, with its tapering tip and broad base, has a wide midrib, a coarsely toothed margin, and a thin, weak texture; the surface is dull, and pale green, with irresolute flecks of red near the edges. The leaves are alternately placed, on short pale stems.
The curious flower consists of a deep cornucopia-shaped pocket terminating in a slender hook-like spur, and 5 petal-like parts; the texture is fine and smooth, and in color it is orange or red-orange, thickly speckled with tawny-red dots, except the small curving side-parts which are less strong in hue, and even tinged with green; the 5 stamens are gathered in the mouth of the pocket, beneath the stem. The flowers swing on slender foot-stems in small groups.
Like all very juicy plants this wilts quickly when plucked. In bud the wing-like side-parts enfold the pocket. When ripe the seed-pods burst with a sudden snap that throws the seeds to a considerable distance; to this trait, and to the singular shape of the flower, are due the particular favor in which children hold the plant, and afford occasion, also, for the many by-names by which it is called, such as Snap-Weed, Silver-Weed, Lady’s Slipper, Lady’s Pocket, and Kicking Colt.
Pale Touch-me-not (I. pallida) is a light lemon-yellow variety, very likeI. fulva, though the pocket of the flower is shorter, the spur less curved, and it is not so numerously spotted.