Table 1.

Comparison of morphological characters in Impatiensbijieensis, I.pterosepala (data from Hooker 1910), I.lasiophyton (data from Hooker 1908b) and I.leptocaulon (data from Hooker 1908c).

Character	I.bijieensis	I.pterosepala	I.lasiophyton	I.leptocaulon
Length of petiole	0.3–0.8 cm	1.5–2.0 cm	1–3 cm	0.5–1.5 cm
Leaf blade	with a pair of conical glands at base, base cuneate, margin serrulate, adaxial surface densely pilose, abaxial surface pilose along veins	with 2 globose basal glands, base cuneate, margin crenate, both surfaces glabrous	base acute, margin coarsely crenate or crenate-serrate, both surfaces hirsute	with few basal glands, base narrowly cuneate, margin serrulate, both surfaces glabrous
Bract	bracteate above middle, linear-lanceolate	bract above middle; lanceolate	bracteate below flower; lanceolate	bracteate above middle; lanceolate
Flower	deep purplish-red	pale purple or purple-red	yellow or white	purple-red
Lateral sepal	2, ovate, margin ciliate, mid-vein carinate, apex acuminate or caudate	2, ovate, margin sometimes denticulate at one side, abaxial mid-vein narrowly carinate, apex acuminate	2 (or 4), subovate, hirsute, apex cuspidate	2, subovate, long cuspidate, inequilateral, hyaline margined, denticulate on one side
Lower sepal	navicular, narrowed into an incurved, long spur, spur apex 2-lobed	narrowly funnelform, narrowed into an incurved, slender spur	broadly funnelform, gradually narrowed into an incurved spur	navicular, narrowed into an incurved, long spur
Dorsal petal	reniform, base truncate or suborbicular, apex concave, abaxial mid-vein carinate	orbicular, base cordate, apex slightly emarginate, shortly rostellate, abaxial mid-vein thickened, entire or undulate	orbicular, base cordate, apex obtuse, abaxial mid-vein thickened, cristate apically	orbicular, base unknown, apex rostellate, abaxial mid-vein carinate
Basal lobes	oblong to obovate-oblong	oblong	small or rudimentary	orbicular, small
Distal lobes	dolabriform	broadly dolabriform, larger	broadly dolabriform or sublunar	obovate-oblong
Anther apex	obtuse	acute	obtuse	obtuse
Capsule	cylindrical	linear	linear	linear
Elevation	1915–2800 m	1500–1700 m	1700–2700 m	1200–2000 m