(123) Request for a binding decision on whether the names <i>Impatiens yingjiangensis</i> S. Akiyama &amp; H. Ohba and <i>I. yingjingensis</i> Xin Q. Song &amp; al. (<i>Balsaminaceae</i>) are sufficiently alike to be confused

(123) Impatiens yingjiangensis S. Akiyama & H. Ohba (1995) [Angiosp.: Balsamin.] Impatiens yingjingensis Xin Q. Song, B.N. Song & Biao Yang (2024) [Angiosp.: Balsamin.] Akiyama & al. (in J. Jap. Bot. 70: 96. 1995) published a new species of Impatiens, I. yingjiangensis S. Akiyama & H. Ohba, named after its type locality, Yingjiang County, Yunnan Province, China. It is native to south-central China and is an accepted species in Flora of China. Song & al. (in PhytoKeys 242: 302. 2024) published another new species of Impatiens, I. yingjingensis Xin Q. Song, B.N. Song & Biao Yang, collected from the Yingjing area of the Giant Panda National park, Yingjing County, Sichuan Province and so also native to south-central China. Although we recognize the difference in the origin of the two epithets denoting distinct geographical localities in China, but still, due to the only one letter (“a”) distinguishing the two, we consider the names confusable both in spelling and pronunciation. Additionally, the two species were described from the same general area, i.e., south-central China. Probably Song & al. did not consider the names confusable and so chose the epithet yingjingensis, but in our view the two epithets look alike and create confusion. So, we are requesting a binding decision under Art. 53.4 as to whether I. yingjiangensis and I. yingjingensis are likely to be confused and should be treated as homonyms. If it is decided to treat them as homonyms, then I. yingjingensis, from Sichuan Province, would need a new name. The authors express their sincere gratitude to the Director, CSIR-NBRI, Lucknow for providing facilities and to Dr. John McNeill for discussion and suggestions on this case. The first author would also like to thank the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), New Delhi for DBT-JRF fellowship and the second author the Science and Engineering Research Board, New Delhi for the support (CRG/2021/000663). The manuscript has the institutional manuscript number CSIR-NBRI_MS/2025/06/02.