Trying to iIdentify a houseplant

Hi there,

A friend gave me some seeds to plant last year the plant is very unusual. I haven't found it in any books so far ! Could anyone help ? or point me in the direction of a relevant website ?

It's an upright houseplant that has green oval shaped leaves with lighter green markings which consist of a single line up the middle of the leaf with others branching off (sorry, I'm not very good at this !). The stem of the plant is a strange shape. it is solid and green and it's cross section is like a square with concave sides. the seeds grow at the top of the stem and the plant fires them out ! The stem has leaves from about halfway upwards and consists of pairs of leaves opposite each other, going right to the top of the stem. The height of the plant is around 40-50 cm.

Any ideas ?? sorry about the rubbish description !

Thanks

Lindy

 

Sounds like a type of impatiens? maybe new guinea with the seed propelling mechanism

 

>> The flowers are sometimes striped or barred, some are also bicolour or margined in a contrasting colour. Best removed after flowering, come the exploding seed pods. Some species, including the New Guinea Hybrids, have been developed for their bronze, yellow or variegated leaves.<<

The above is an excerpt from a catalogue, is it like any of these?
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/balsaminaceae/album?.dir=590a&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/balsaminaceae/my_photos

 

Hi Again,

I don't think it is an impatien as I dont' think it is a flowering plant. The ones I have are only young but the parent plant has no flowers.

Looking at the pictures from the link, I'd say mine was more tree-like. i.e. a single upright thick stem. and the leaves are more rounded with smooth edges. Unfirtunately, I can't get a picture on as I dont' have a picture of the parent plant :(

Thanks for your help

Lindy

 

Just a point. If it bears seeds, explosive or not, it must have flowered at some time unless it's a very exceptional plant. The flowers may be tiny and insignificant but they will have been there.

 

Himalayan balsam has square stems and explosive seeds, grows in tall single spikes,
but has flowers. Some euphorbias have insignificant flowers with explosive seeds but I can't find a square stemmed one, and mints and sage have square stems but no exploding seeds, and again, flowers.
Might be worth having a look at the Himalayan balsam.
Have you seen the seed pods, and what size are the seeds?

 

Thats the impatiens I was thinking of Liz

http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/himalbals.htm

 

I can't really remember what the seeds were like it was a year ago that I saw the parent plant and mine are very slow growing. I'll try to get a picture on of the young plant - I only have internet access at work though so it's quite difficult.

All I can remember about the seeds is that they grow on the stem - at the top of the plant. The seeds are small and black, The diamater was probably around 3 mm.

I will try to get a picture on this week........

 

Hi, I have a picture of the plant now, how do I get it on here ?!

 

you have certainly got everyone thinking about on one Lindy... for photos go to "how to post photos in your message" I think its in the members gallery topic, 2nd page there is a complete guide, I used it and it worked for me.

 

here's Lindy's pic -

 

I'm trying to work out what it is ... haven't yet, the stem doesn't look square on this pic. Like to have seen the parent plant.

 

Dont know what it is but it looks like an interesting plant, the leaves look a bit leathery to me, slightly succulent even.
Wonder if the sap is white, some type of euphorbia maybe.