Annotated checklist of Indonesian Impatiens (Balsaminaceae)

Abstract

Impatiens is a genus of flowering plants widely distributed in Indonesia, with a high level of endemism. Some studies about on Impatiens have been conducted in Indonesia and several new species have recently been proposed, however, a list of all Indonesian Impatiens species has never been provided. Here, such a checklist of the Indonesian Impatiens species is presented to provide a comprehensive and up‐to‐date inventory of this genus in the region. There are 52 species, plus 3 subspecies and 7 varieties, of Impatiens in Indonesia. Most of the species are distributed in Sumatra, some in Java, Sulawesi, Kalimantan (Borneo), Lesser Sunda Islands, Maluku and Papua. Sumatra has the highest number of Impatiens species in Indonesia (45 species), while the Maluku region has the least (two species). Most of the species are native (50 species) and endemic (46 species), with Sumatra being the endemic hotspot (39 species). Some Impatiens species, such as I. dewildeana, have expanded their distribution to new areas. The conservation status of Impatiens species in Indonesia has not been assessed previously, therefore, we follow IUCN, as a reference for determining the status of Impatiens in Indonesia, especially those endemic to Sumatra. It is concluded that a majority of the species is threatened, and several may already be extinct.