Abstract

The genus Impatiens L. with about 900 species, is distributed in Tropical Africa and South East Asia with a few representatives in North America, Europe and East Asia. In India, there are 175 species distributed mainly in the Eastern Himalayas and Western Ghats, the two mega centres of endemism in the country. In the Western Ghats, Impatients with 86 species is the largest genus. During our studies on the flora of Periyar Tiger Reserve, in the Southern Western Ghats, 30 species were collected. In the study area also it is the largest genus among the 814 genera. Of the 86 species reported from the Western Ghats, 76 are endemics and 67 are reported to occur in Kerala. In the Anamudi High Range centre, there are 23 endemic species of Impatients. Of these, 10 species are considered rare and threatened. Among the 30 species collected from the Tiger Reserve, 26 are Western Ghat endemics. Impatiens leptura and I. verecunda are collected for the first time after their type