Myosotis

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Asterids
Cladus: Lamiids
Ordo: Boraginales

Familia: Boraginaceae
Subfamilia: Boraginoideae
Tribus: Eritrichieae
Genus: Myosotis
Species

M. abyssinica – M. afropalustris – M. albicans – M. albiflora – M. albosericea – M. alpestris – M. amabilis – M. ambigens – M. angustata – M. anomala – M. antarctica – M. arnoldii – M. arvensis – M. asiatica – M. atlantica – M. australis – M. austrosibirica – M. azorica – M. baicalensis – M. balbisiana – M. bothriospermoides – M. brachypoda – M. brevis – M. brockiei – M. bryonoma – M. butorinae – M. cadmea – M. cameroonensis – M. capitata – M. chaffeyorum – M. chakassica – M. cheesemanii – M. colensoi – M. concinna – M. congesta – M. corsicana – M. czekanowskii – M. daralaghezica – M. debilis – M. decumbens – M. densiflora – M. diminuta – M. discolor – M. dissitiflora – M. ergakensis – M. exarrhena – M. eximia – M. explanata – M. forsteri – M. gallica – M. galpinii – M. glabrescens – M. goyenii – M. graminifolia – M. graui – M. guneri – M. heteropoda – M. imitata – M. incrassata – M. jordanovii – M. kamelinii – M. kebeshensis – M. keniensis – M. koelzii – M. kolakovskyi – M. krasnoborovii – M. krylovii – M. kurdica – M. laeta – M. laingii – M. latifolia – M. laxa – M. lazica – M. lithospermifolia – M. litoralis – M. ludomilae – M. lyallii – M. lytteltonensis – M. macrantha – M. macrosiphon – M. macrosperma – M. magniflora – M. margaritae – M. martini – M. matthewsii – M. michaelae – M. micrantha – M. minutiflora – M. monroi – M. mooreana – M. nemorosa – M. nikiforovae – M. ochotensis – M. olympica – M. orbelica – M. oreophila – M. pansa – M. paucipilosa – M. petiolata – M. platyphylla – M. popovii – M. pottsiana – M. propinqua – M. pulvinaris – M. pusilla – M. radix-palaris – M. rakiura – M. ramosissima – M. refracta – M. rehsteineri – M. retrorsa – M. rivularis – M. robusta – M. ruscinonensis – M. sajanensis – M. saxosa – M. schistosa – M. schmakovii – M. scorpioides – M. secunda – M. semiamplexicaulis – M. sicula – M. solange – M. soleirolii – M. sparsiflora – M. spatulata – M. speciosa – M. speluncicola – M. stenophylla – M. stolonifera – M. stricta – M. suavis – M. subcordata – M. sylvatica – M. taverae – M. tenericaulis – M. tineoi – M. traversii – M. tuxeniana – M. ucrainica – M. umbrosa – M. uniflora – M. urceolaris – M. venosa – M. verna – M. vestergrenii – M. welwitschii – M. wumengensis
Nothospecies:

M. × bohemica – M. × bollandica – M. × cadevallii – M. × catalaunica – M. × kablikiana – M. × krajinae – M. × parviflora – M. × permixta
Source(s) of checklist:

Govaerts, R. et al. 2020. Myosotis in Kew Science Plants of the World online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2020 Sep 30. Reference page.

Name

Myosotis L., Sp. Pl. 1: 131. (1753)

Type species: Myosotis scorpioides L. (1753)

Synonyms

Echioides Moench
Exarrhena R.Br.
Gymnomyosotis (A.DC.) O.D.Nikif.
Scorpioides Gilib.
Scorpiurus Haller
Strophiostoma Tu

References
Primary references

Linnaeus, C. 1753. Species plantarum, exhibentes plantas rite cognitas, ad genera relatas, cum differentiis specificis, nominibus trivialibus, synonymis selectis, locis natalibus, secundum systema sexuale digestas. Tomus I. Pp. [I–XII], 1–560. Impensis Laurentii Salvii, Holmiae [Stockholm]. BHL Reference page. : 131.

Additional references

Meudt, H.M. & Prebble, J.M. 2018. Species limits and taxonomic revision of the bracteate-prostrate group of southern hemisphere forget-me-nots (Myosotis, Boraginaceae), including description of three new species endemic to New Zealand. Australian Systematic Botany 31(1): 48–105. DOI: 10.1071/SB17045 Reference page.
Winkworth, R.C., Grau, J., Robertson, A.W. & Lockhart, P.J. 2002. The origins and evolution of the genus Myosotis L. (Boraginaceae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 24(2): 180-193. DOI: 10.1016/S1055-7903(02)00210-5 Full article PDF from ResearchGate Reference page.

Links

Hassler, M. 2019. Myosotis. World Plants: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World In: Roskovh, Y., Abucay, L., Orrell, T., Nicolson, D., Bailly, N., Kirk, P., Bourgoin, T., DeWalt, R.E., Decock, W., De Wever, A., Nieukerken, E. van, Zarucchi, J. & Penev, L., eds. 2019. Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2019 Apr. 1. Reference page.
Euro+Med 2006 onwards: Myosotis in Euro+Med PlantBase – the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2019 Apr. 4.
International Plant Names Index. 2019. Myosotis. Published online. Accessed: Apr. 4 2019.

Vernacular names
العربية: أذن الفأر
kaszëbsczi: Niezabôtka
čeština: pomněnka
Чӑвашла: Кăвакарчăн куçĕ
dansk: Forglemmigej
Deutsch: Vergissmeinnicht
dolnoserbski: Njezabyńki
Ελληνικά: Μη Με Λησμόνει
English: Forget-me-not
Esperanto: Neforgesumino
español: Nomeolvides
eesti: Lõosilm
euskara: Oroilore
فارسی: گل‌های فراموشم مکن
suomi: Lemmikit
Gaeilge: Lus míonla
galego: Nonmesquezas
עברית: זכריני
hornjoserbsce: Njezapomnička
magyar: Nefelejcs
հայերեն: Անմոռուկ, մկնականջ
Ido: Miozoto
íslenska: Glem mér ei
italiano: Nontiscordardimé
日本語: ワスレナグサ
ქართული: კესანე
қазақша: Ботакөз
한국어: 개꽃마리속
lietuvių: Neužmirštuolė
latviešu: Neaizmirstules
македонски: Незаборавка
Nederlands: Vergeet-mij-nietje
norsk nynorsk: Minneblom
norsk: Forglemmegei
Ирон: Ма-рох-кæн
polski: Niezapominajka
پنجابی: سانوں بھل ناں جاناں
português: Não-me-esqueças
română: Nu-mă-uita
русский: Незабудка
slovenčina: nezábudka
slovenščina: Spominčica
svenska: Förgätmigejer
ślůnski: Żabiłoczko
Türkçe: Unutmabeni
українська: Незабудка
oʻzbekcha/ўзбекча: Zagʻchakoʻz
Tiếng Việt: Chi Lưu ly
walon: Fleur do Ptit Djezus
中文: 勿忘草属
Myosotis (/ˌmaɪ.əˈsoʊtɪs/ MY-ə-SOH-tiss[2]) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Boraginaceae. The name comes from the Ancient Greek μυοσωτίς "mouse's ear", which the foliage is thought to resemble.[3] In the northern hemisphere they are colloquially denominated forget-me-nots[4] or scorpion grasses. The colloquial name "forget-me-not" was calqued from the German Vergissmeinnicht and first used in English in AD 1398 through King Henry IV of England.[5] Similar names and variations are found in many languages. Myosotis alpestris is the official flower of Alaska[6] and Dalsland, Sweden. Plants of the genus are commonly confused with Chatham Islands' forget-me-nots which belong to the related genus Myosotidium.

Distribution

More than 500 species names have been recorded, but only 74 species are presently accepted. The remainder are either synonyms of presently accepted or proposed names.[7] The genus is largely restricted to western Eurasia, with approximately 60 confirmed species, and New Zealand with approximately 40 confirmed species. A few species occur elsewhere including North America, South America, and Papua New Guinea.[4] Despite this, Myosotis species are now common throughout temperate latitudes because of the introduction of cultivars and alien species. Many happen to be popular in horticulture. They prefer moist habitats; in locales where they are not native, they frequently escape to wetlands and riverbanks. Only those native to the Northern hemisphere are colloquially denominated "forget-me-nots".

One or two European species, especially Myosotis sylvatica, the "woodland" forget-me-nots, have been introduced into most of the temperate regions of Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
Morphology

Myosotis species have pentamerous actinomorphic flowers with 5 sepals and petals.[3] Flowers are typically 1 cm in diameter or less; flatly faced; coloured blue, pink, white or yellow with yellow centres; and born on scorpioid cymes. They typically flower in spring or soon after the melting of snow in alpine ecosystems. They are annual or perennial. The foliage is alternate, and their roots are generally diffuse.

Myosotis sylvatica

The seeds are contained in small, tulip-shaped pods along the stem to the flower. The pods attach to clothing when brushed against and eventually fall off, leaving the small seed within the pod to germinate elsewhere. Seeds can be collected by placing a sheet of paper under stems and shaking the seed pods onto the paper.

Myosotis scorpioides is also colloquially denominated scorpion grass because of the spiraling curvature of its inflorescence.[3]
Ecology

Myosotis are food for the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including the setaceous Hebrew character. Many of the species in New Zealand are threatened.[8]
Distribution and phylogeny

The genus was originally described by Carl Linnaeus. The type species is Myosotis scorpioides. Myosotis species are distributed in temperate areas of the northern hemisphere and southern hemisphere. The genus has two centres of species diversity in Europe and New Zealand. Genetic analysis indicates that the genus originated in the northern hemisphere, and that species native to New Zealand, Australia, New Guinea and South America form a lineage of closely related species that are likely derived from a single dispersal event to the southern hemisphere.[4][9]
Taxonomy

There are 89 species, subspecies, and varieties of Myosotis in World Flora Online,[10] of which 42 species are endemic to New Zealand.[11] The full list of species includes:

Myosotis abyssinica Boiss. & Reut.
Myosotis afropalustris C.H. Wright
Myosotis albiflora Banks & Sol. ex Hook.f.
Myosotis albosericea Hook.f.
Myosotis alpestris F.W.Schmidt (alpine forget-me-not)
Myosotis alpina Lapeyr.
Myosotis amabilis Cheeseman
Myosotis ambigens (Bég.) Grau
Myosotis angustata Cheeseman
Myosotis antarctica Hook.f.
Myosotis arnoldii L.B.Moore
Myosotis arvensis (L.) Hill (field forget-me-not)
Myosotis asiatica (Vestergr. ex Hultén) Schischk. & Serg. (Asiatic forget-me-not)
Myosotis azorica H.C.Watson (Azores forget-me-not)
Myosotis balbisiana Jord.
Myosotis baltica Sam. ex Lindm.
Myosotis bothriospermoides Kitag
Myosotis brevis de Lange & Barkla
Myosotis brockiei L.B.Moore & M.J.A.Simpson
Myosotis bryonoma Meudt, Prebble & Thorsen
Myosotis cadmea Kitag
Myosotis capitata Hook.f.
Myosotis caespitosa Schultz (tufted forget-me-not)
Myosotis chaffeyorum Lehnebach
Myosotis cheesemanii Petrie
Myosotis colensoi (Kirk) J.F.Macbr.
Myosotis concinna Cheeseman
Myosotis decumbens Host
Myosotis discolor Pers (changing forget-me-not)
Myosotis densiflora C. Koch
Myosotis eximia Petrie
Myosotis explanata Cheeseman
Myosotis forsteri Lehm.
Myosotis glabrescens L.B.Moore
Myosotis glauca (G.Simpson & J.S.Thomson) de Lange & Barkla
Myosotis goyenii Petrie
Myosotis incrassata Guss.
Myosotis krylovii Serg.
Myosotis laeta Cheeseman
Myosotis laingii Cheeseman
Myosotis lamottiana (Braun-Blanq. ex Chass.) Grau
Myosotis latifolia Poir. (broadleaf forget-me-not)
Myosotis laxa Lehm. (tufted forget-me-not or bay forget-me-not)
Myosotis lithospermifolia Hornem.
Myosotis lyallii Hook.f.
Myosotis lytteltonensis (Laing & A.Wall) de Lange
Myosotis macrantha (Hook.f.) Benth. & Hook.f.
Myosotis macrosperma (largeseed forget-me-not)
Myosotis matthewsii L.B.Moore
Myosotis monroi (Monro's forget-me-not)
Myosotis mooreana Lehnebach
Myosotis nemorosa Besser
Myosotis oreophila Petrie
Myosotis pansa (L.B.Moore) Meudt, Prebble, R.J.Stanley & Thorsen
Myosotis pansa subsp. pansa (L.B.Moore) Meudt, Prebble, R.J.Stanley & Thorsen subsp. pansa (Waitakere forget-me-not)
Myosotis pansa subsp. praeceps (L.B.Moore) Meudt, Prebble, R.J.Stanley & Thorsen subsp. pansa
Myosotis petiolata Hook.f.
Myosotis pottsiana (L.B.Moore) Meudt, Prebble, R.J.Stanley & Thorsen
Myosotis pulvinaris Hook.f.
Myosotis pygmaea Colenso
Myosotis ramosissima Rochel (early forget-me-not)
Myosotis rakiura L.B.Moore
Myosotis retrorsa Meudt, Prebble & Hindmarsh-Walls
Myosotis rivularis (Vestergr.) A.P. Khokhr
Myosotis sachalinensis Popov
Myosotis saxosa Hook.f.
Myosotis scorpioides L. (true forget-me-not)
Myosotis secunda (creeping forget-me-not)
Myosotis sicula Guss. (Jersey forget-me-not)
Myosotis sparsiflora J.C.Mikan ex Pohl
Myosotis spatulata G.Forst.
Myosotis speluncicola Schott ex Boiss
Myosotis stenophylla Knaf
Myosotis stricta Link ex Roem. & Schult
Myosotis strigulosa Rchb.
Myosotis suavis Petrie
Myosotis sylvatica Ehrh. ex Hoffm (wood forget-me-not)
Myosotis tenericaulis Petrie
Myosotis traversii Hook.f.
Myosotis umbrosa Meudt, Prebble & Thorsen
Myosotis uniflora Hook.f.
Myosotis venosa Colenso
Myosotis verna Nutt. (spring forget-me-not)
Symbolism

The small blue forget-me-not flower was first used by the Grand Lodge Zur Sonne, in 1926, as a Masonic emblem at the annual convention in Bremen, Germany. In 1938, a forget-me-not badge—made by the same factory as the Masonic badge—was chosen for the annual Nazi Party Winterhilfswerk, the annual charity drive of the National Socialist People's Welfare, the welfare branch of the Nazi party. This coincidence enabled Freemasons to wear the forget-me-not badge as a secret sign of membership.[12] [13]

After World War II, the forget-me-not flower was used again as a Masonic emblem in 1948 at the first Annual Convention of the United Grand Lodges of Germany. The badge is now worn in the coat lapel by Freemasons around the world to remember all who suffered in the name of Freemasonry, especially those during the Nazi era.[14]

The flower is also used as a symbol of remembrance by the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is used to commemorate those from the province who were killed in the First World War, and worn around July 1.

It is also used in Germany to commemorate the fallen soldiers of the world wars in a similar manner to the use of remembrance poppies in the UK.

The flower is also the symbol for the Armenian Genocide's 100th anniversary. The design of the flower is a black dot symbolising the past, and the suffering of Armenian people. The light purple appendages symbolise the present, and unity of Armenians. The 5 purple petals symbolise the future, and the five continents Armenians escaped to. The yellow in the centre symbolises eternity, and the Tsitsernakaberd itself symbolises the 12 provinces lost to Turkey.[15]

In Lithuania the flower has become one of the symbols for the commemoration of the January Events of 1991.[16]

In The Netherlands, the forget-me-not has become a symbol for Alzheimer Nederland, a foundation advocating for people suffering from dementia.

In New Zealand, the Forget-Me-Not is the symbol for Alzheimers New Zealand, the foundation advocating for people suffering from Alzheimer's Disease and dementia.[17]

References

Lehnebach, C. (2012). "Lectotypification of three species of forget-me-nots (Myosotis: Boraginaceae) from Australasia". Tuhinga. 23: 17–28.
"Myosotis". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Forget-me-not" . Encyclopædia Britannica. 10 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 663.
Winkworth, Richard C.; Grau, Jürke; Robertson, Alastair W.; Lockhart, Peter J. (2002). "The Origins and Evolution of the Genus Myosotis L. (Boraginaceae)" (PDF). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 24 (2): 180–93. doi:10.1016/S1055-7903(02)00210-5. PMID 12144755.
Sanders, Jack (2003). The Secrets of Wildflowers: A Delightful Feast of Little-Known Facts, Folklore, and History. Globe Pequot. ISBN 1-58574-668-1.
"Alaska Kid's Corner". State of Alaska. Retrieved 2016-05-21.
"Species in Myosotis". The Plant List. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2015-03-28.
Lehnebach, Carlos A. (2012-08-21). "Two new species of forget-me-nots (Myosotis, Boraginaceae) from New Zealand". PhytoKeys (16): 53–64. doi:10.3897/phytokeys.16.3602. PMC 3492931. PMID 23233811.
Meudt, Heidi M.; Prebble, Jessica M.; Lehnebach, Carlos A. (2014-11-07). "Native New Zealand forget-me-nots (Myosotis, Boraginaceae) comprise a Pleistocene species radiation with very low genetic divergence". Plant Systematics and Evolution. 301 (5): 1455–1471. doi:10.1007/s00606-014-1166-x. ISSN 0378-2697. S2CID 14686750.
"Home". www.worldfloraonline.org. Retrieved 2019-11-24.
"Flora of New Zealand | Taxon Profile | Myosotis". www.nzflora.info.
"Das Vergissmeinnicht-Abzeichen und die Freimaurerei". www.internetloge.de (in German). Archived from the original on 2019-05-02. Retrieved 2019-07-21.
Bernheim, Alain. ""The Blue Forget-Me-Not": Another Side of the Story". Pietre-Stones Review of Freemasonry. Archived from the original on 2019-01-30. Retrieved 2019-07-21.
"The Story Behind Forget Me Not Emblem!". Masonic Network Blog. 2009-12-11. Archived from the original on 2019-04-04. Retrieved 2019-07-21.
"Հայոց ցեղասպանության 100-րդ տարելիցի խորհրդանիշը անմոռուկ ծաղիկն է, կարգախոսը՝ "Հիշում եմ և պահանջում"". www.armenpress.am (in Armenian). Armenpress. Archived from the original on 2014-05-28. Retrieved 2021-02-28.
"Flower of discord: Lithuanian politicians clash over forget-me-not symbol". lrt.lt. 2020-02-04. Retrieved 2021-06-15.
"Home". Alzheimers New Zealand. Retrieved 2021-06-15.