New Impatiens species found in southwest China

CHENGDU, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese researchers have discovered a new species of Impatiens in Meishan City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, according to the provincial department of ecology and environment.

Their findings have been published in a recent edition of international scientific journal PhytoKeys.

The species, Impatiens meishanensis, is a perennial herb that typically grows to a height of 40 to 80 centimeters. Its leaves are ovate with serrated or wavy edges, smooth surfaces, and petioles ranging from 0.5 to 2 centimeters in length. The plant produces large, smooth, pinkish-purple flowers with an approximate length of 4 centimeters and notable for their vivid coloration.

The new species grows in moist, rocky soils along mountain paths at an elevation of about 1,990 meters. It is currently known to be distributed in the Wawu Mountain scenic area in Meishan's Hongya County.

According to researchers, the discovery of this new plant species holds significant value for studies on the ecological adaptation mechanisms and genetic diversity of regional plants.