Impatiens mirabilis (Giant Balsam)

Native to limestone habitats in Thailand and the Malay Peninsula, this unusual balsam is a succulent herb with a conspicuously swollen stem base. Large, thick leaves gather toward the stem tips on long stalks; their blades are oval to obovate with toothed margins. Terminal flower stalks carry a succession of asymmetric, spurred blossoms. The swollen base helps it survive seasonal drought, and it sheds its leaves during the dry season. The capsules split elastically when ripe. Despite its thick trunk-like appearance, the succulent stem contains very little wood. It is cultivated as an ornamental. Photographed in Florida.