Saturday, June 30, 2007

parrot flower


Impatiens psittacina
The R are Thailand Parrot Flower means "parrot like".
Hooker examined specimens grown at the Royal Botanical Garden Kew in Britain but did his original work on the plant in India. It is however unclear whether Hooker drew his work from a live specimen or preserved flowers. Hooker mentions in his description plants seen at the Kew in London. The plants in England did not produce seed, possibly due to the lack of pollinators.
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Impatiens psittacina Facts:
Size: Plant grows to app. 6 feet (1.8) meters
Leaf: Broad, sharply pointed, to 2 1/2 inches (6 cm)Flower size: App. 3 to 4 inches (8 to 10cm)Stem thickness: To 1/2 inch (1.5cm)Bloom season: October/November in Thailand
Growing conditions: Tropical, humid& moist
The curved "beak", which is the backwards pointing nectar tube at the back of the corolla, and "string from the shoulders" are there.