The spur is usually curled and bends forward until parallel with the flower. The flower is shaped like a cornucopia, with a prominent spur at the base about ¼ inch long. The flowers dangle on stalks on the upper part of the stems.Spotted Touch-me-not flowers have dark reddish-brown spots on a yellowish-orange base.These latter flowers are about an inch long. Spotted Touch-me-not has two different types of flowers: small, inconspicuous flowers that don't open and the larger, showy flowers from which the plant draws many of its common names. Spotted Touch-me-not on the Peninsula Nature Trails (4 August 2017). Wildflowers of the Adirondacks: Spotted Touch-me-not flowers are orange, with reddish-orange or reddish-brown spots. The function of this waterproofing is unknown. When submerged in water, the leaves take on a silvery sheen. Water drops usually roll off the leaves, but in horizontal areas, the water beads up, appearing like jewels in the reflected light. The leaves are covered with a coating that repels water. The leaf edges have low, widely-spaced teeth. Like the stems, they are hairless and somewhat succulent. They are arranged alternately, meaning that they emerge from the stem one leaf per node. The oval leaves are 1 to 3 inches long and up to 1½ inches wide. Its pale green stems are hairless and succulent, exuding juice when broken. Spotted Touch-me-not is a tall, erect plant, growing two to five feet tall. Seedlings sprout in early spring, reaching maximum size in late summer. In contrast to most of our native wildflowers, Spotted Touch-me-not is an annual, reproducing from seed each spring. Spotted Touch-me-not on the Bloomingdale Bog Trail (1 August 2017). Wildflowers of the Adirondacks: Spotted Touch-me-not's oval leaves have low, widely spaced teeth. The others are Himalayan Balsam ( Impatiens glandulifera) and Pale Touch-me-not ( Impatiens pallida). Spotted Touch-me-not is one of three impatiens species in the Adirondack Park. Other common names for Impatiens capensis include Silver Leaf and Silver-cap Lady's Eardrops, apparently in reference to the silvery sheen on the leaves. Still others contend that the name comes from the fact that "jewels" of water collect on the edges of the leaves.Others trace the name to the fact that the blossoms hang like pendants from the branches.Some sources attribute it to the fact that the orange flowers tend to glisten in the sunlight.There are several competing explanations for these names. The plant is also known as Jewelweed and Spotted Jewelweed. The common name (Spotted Touch-me-not) is a reference to the seed pods popping open at a touch, a characteristic which also explains two other common names – Snapweed and Spotted Snap Weed. Spotted Touch-me-not on the Fox Run Trail at the Paul Smith's College VIC (21 August 2013). Wildflowers of the Adirondacks: Spotted Touch-me-not's orange flowers hang like pendants from its branches.
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