Both came as cuttings from a friend who did not have the names. The mauve flowered one has fine hairs on midgreen leaves which, like the stem are easily crushed. The flowers are about 3/4 inch across and 1inch long (max.) and the leaves ditto. The "magic bean" plant has leaves and stems like a Busy Lizzie (Impatiens). Both were very easy to grow from cuttings.
Quite a coincidence... I had never seen Impatiens niamniamensis, until a few days ago. It was being sold by Bob Brown at Cotswold Garden Flowers, at Badsey near Evesham. I couldn't resist taking a pic!
Thanks Silversurfer, Great picture - an exact match to mine so Impatiens niamniamensis it is! I have the plant and cuttings are very easy.
Dear Togata57, the flower is like some streptocarpus but not the foliage. So far saltcedar's suggestion of sinningia looks closest, but possibly achimenes is also a contender. I have yet to find an exact match! Thanks.
1. There are many species of Streptocarpus,I would not rule them out. http://farm1.static.flickr.com/40/97950937_29620b1d81.jpg The leaves can be very varied. I found a pic of S. Kirkii , the flower looks like yours. However, no other site for S. Kirkii has an image like it, so I suspect it has been wrongly named. http://www.sci.muni.cz/bot_zahr/fotografie/skleniky/subtropicke rostliny/Streptocarpus kirkii.jpg http://www.aluka.org/action/showMetadata?doi=10.5555/AL.AP.VISUAL.KCUR00001038&pgs= This site has 211 species listed some with pics. Maybe worth a look on a wet day! http://www.plantsystematics.org/taxpage/0/genus/Streptocarpus.html http://www.gesneriads.ca/genstrep.htm You could try adding a pic of the whole plant showing its growing habit, plus a good leaf pic, to this post to see if that might help with the id.
Thanks again Silversurfer! You are quite right; I'm afraid I was only familiar with streptocarpus of the rossette foliage type. Now I see there is a subgenus that has more stem, with new growth and flowers springing form the axils like my plant. The first photo is a dead ringer for my flowers. Ironic that it seems to have been wrongly named! I am however impressed by the similarity in the flower of streptocrpella caulescens and inflatus and the foliage in hybrid Concorde Blue. The quest continues!
redredrobin, you may be interested in an id made by namawa on this thread recently. http://www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=58104&highlight=Streptocarpella? Might your flower be a Streptocarpella? http://images.google.com/images?hl=...ella&btnG=Search+images&aq=f&oq=&aqi=&start=0 http://www.arhomeandgarden.org/plantoftheweek/articles/Streptocarpella.htm
Thanks again Silver surfer. The pictures and notes on Streptocarpella seem to give full confirmation. The flowers in the image of Streptocarpella saxorum are http://www.arhomeandgarden.org/plant...tocarpella.htm are pink rather than the mauve of mine but the article says that there are more blue forms. Also the leaf is a little more pointed with some darkening perhaps due to stronger light (mine get no direct sun), but all other descriptors match. As the 'saxorum' part refers to rocky habitat; I can see that its straggly growth would suit a more precipitous habitat and may try it hanging containers. Regards Robin
